You're on My Heart just like a --
by O-nimode
Summary: Based on BlueStarlalight's idea regarding soulmates, what would happen if you discovered your soulmate was someone half your age, or vice versa? Well, the only way to find out something like that, is to test it...
1. A Twist of Fate

A/N:

Based on BlueStarlalight's idea regarding soulmates, here's my own interpretation of the concept, and the possible consequences thereof.

In this AU, everybody is born with a tattoo. The tattoo is brown scribbles, to start with. But, one day, if the person is lucky, the tattoo changes from brown to orange, slowly swirling in little patterns.

When it turns orange, this means that the person will discover who their soulmate is, either that day or within the next couple of days.

When they make physical contact with their soulmate, such as shaking hands with them, the tattoo changes for a third and final time. It turns from orange to gold, and spells out the name of their soulmate.

Usually this phenomenon occurs when a person's in their 20s, though there are plenty of exceptions to this rule. And even if they do discover their soulmate, a happily ever after is not guaranteed.

The information is there on their arm, but it is up to _them_ what to do with it.

END A/N.

* * *

Her alarm buzzed, an incessant little sound that would settle for nothing less than a hard button push. Ruby woke with a yawn, stretching and arching her back. She sat up, the other girls in her dorm also getting up, one by one. "Good morning team," she greeted.

Weiss was already dressing, while Yang engaged her hair with a sturdy brush, her eyes still shut. "Good morning Ruby," Yang answered. Blake still slept.

Ruby slid down from her bunk, and shook Blake awake by the shoulder. "We have history today, right?"

"I think so."

"And then trigonometry," Weiss supplied.

"Ugh, I hate trig," Ruby sighed. She went to the wardrobe, her hand wavering in the air for her uniform. Pulling it off the hanger, she glanced down at her arms. She did a double take, and turned her arm out. "Woah."

"What is it?" Yang asked, opening one lazy eye.

Ruby skipped around, showing her arm to the others. "Guys look! Look! Look at my tattoo!" She hopped on the spot, but even so they could see that her tattoo had turned orange, circling and slithering.

"Oh my gosh!" Yang jumped down from her own bed, moving in for a closer look. Blake got up, and gathered around with Weiss.

"No way," Weiss said.

"You're so lucky, Ruby!" Yang cheered.

"That is so rare, for it to already be orange." Weiss pulled back her sleeve, looking at her own brown, nonsense tattoo. "Almost _no one_ gets to discover their soulmate so early on."

"Congratulations, Ruby," Blake said softly.

"I know!" Ruby beamed. "I wonder who it could be?"

* * *

He stood in front of his bathroom mirror, still in his pajamas. The razor glid down his cheeks and along his jaw, removing the stubble that had grown overnight. He rinsed the blade out in the sink, drips of shaving cream disappearing down the drain. He washed his face and inspected it, giving a satisfied smile once it passed his test. Brushing back his long white bangs, he reached for the toothbrush resting in a nearby cup.

It wasn't until he lifted it to his teeth that he caught sight of his tattoo in the mirror's reflection. He stared at it, foamy toothpaste stuck to the corner of his mouth. Gone were those familiar brown scribbles, replaced by orange swirls. He moved his arm, shifting his gaze from the mirror to the real thing. He hadn't looked at his tattoo in years. He'd just assumed that he was one of those types of people whose tattoo never changed, and never discovered their soulmate. But it seemed Fate had changed its mind about him.

That morning, Professor Ozpin dressed with a little bit more care, in his signature green. He grabbed his cane, and stepped out of his on-campus apartment, walking down the stairs to his office. _I wonder who they could be?_ he thought to himself.

* * *

Ruby sat in class, not listening to a word the teacher was saying, as usual. She chewed on the end of her pencil, staring into space. _Alright, who all do I know in this school?_ she thought, compiling a list in her mind. _I hope it's not Jaune, I just can't ever imagine dating him._ She didn't really know much about Ren, but she didn't think he would be her soulmate anyways. He and Nora were always attached at the hip, and she'd hate to come between that. _Oh God, I hope it's not Cardin._ She shuddered. _Alright, who else, who else do I know?_ It occurred to her the possibility that her soulmate could be a woman, but she hoped that wouldn't be the case. She realized that she really didn't know that many people in school. _I guess whoever it is will be a total stranger..._

* * *

Ozpin leaned against the counter in the teacher's lounge, going through various papers. Nearby him sat a mug of hot chocolate, from which he sipped occasionally. In the back of his mind, he dwelt on the mystery of his soulmate. At first he suspected Glynda, since they were such good friends, but a friendly morning handshake with her proved that wasn't the case. Now he was going through the whole list of his staff at Beacon. If it turned out to be a man, Ozpin resolved to simply be good friends with him. He also reminded himself of the possibility of someone paying a visit to the school and running into him, either a colleague or a total stranger. _I suppose there's just no way to tell,_ he mused.

* * *

Ruby followed her team down a crowded hallway as students changed classes. She watched her feet, lost in thought. She jumped when her shoulder accidentally collided with someone's arm. "Oh, sorry!" She looked up, seeing Professor Ozpin.

He smiled kindly at her. "It's quite alright Ruby, just be more careful." His hot chocolate had come dangerously close to spilling.

"Right, sorry. See ya." They both took a step in opposite directions to their destinations.

They froze. They felt it at once. A tingling sensation on their arms, like they were being electrocuted there, but it didn't hurt. His hand clenched around the head of his cane, and she grabbed her arm to stop it from shaking. When the sensation passed, they didn't move. Then, slowly, carefully, balancing his cane, Ozpin reached for his sleeve. He pulled it down, and saw the sparkling golden cursive of his tattoo spell _Ruby Rose._ They turned around by increments, looking up from their tattoos.

Silver and brown eyes locked.


	2. Dismissed

It couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds. They stared at each other, eyes dilating. Ruby's heart pounded in her chest. And then he turned, and walked away. "Wha- wait!" she called after Ozpin, but he didn't seem to hear her.

"Ruby!" she heard Yang call. She looked back to her friends, and again to where Ozpin had gone. "C'mon, we're going to be late for our next class!"

She turned away, following her friends. "Yeah, sorry." She lingered at the back of the group as they continued down the hall. Tugging on her sleeve, she sneaked another peek at the final form of her tattoo. _Clark Ozpin._ She made a nonplussed noise to herself.

At lunch, she moved as if in a trance, pushing food into her mouth without paying attention to what it was. _Clark Ozpin._ She chewed slowly. _He's...definitely a lot older than me. Is it possible for tattoos to make a mistake?_ That sounded mean. She didn't even really feel that way. _He's nice, I guess. And he's pretty smart, guess you'd have to be to be the headmaster of a hunting school._ Outside of that, she didn't know anything about him. He liked hot chocolate, but that didn't really say much. _What does he even do in his free time? Does he have free time? How much time do adults even spend working? Does he like old people games, like cricket?_

Weiss snapped her fingers in front of Ruby's face. "Remnant to Ruby, you've been scraping your fork against an empty plate for the last minute," she informed.

"Oh." She set the utensil down. "Sorry."

"I know you're excited about discovering your soulmate, but that's no reason to just lose your head over it."

"Right." But she remained with her head in the clouds, turning everything over in her mind once, twice, thrice. As they were walking back to their dorm after classes, her scroll vibrated in her skirt pocket, and she was brought back to reality. She opened it up, and her eyes widened, a slight chill rushing up her spine. "Uh, hang on, I'll have to catch up with you guys later." Her voice sounded distant, like it didn't even belong to her.

"What's up?" Yang's voice sounded like an echo in her own mind.

"Professor Ozpin has asked to see me in his office." She returned her scroll to her pocket.

"Aahhh, that sucks." She slouched, groaning in sympathy.

"I wonder what you did to deserve a scolding from the headmaster," Weiss commented.

"I'm sure it's nothing major," Blake told the others. "We'll see you later, alright?" She entered the dorm.

"Yeah, see ya," Ruby said, the others following Blake. She hesitated for a moment, then started making her way back to the main building.

Everything was thrown into relief in the afternoon light, warm where the sun reached, cool elsewhere. As she walked, she thought. _It's gotta be about the tattoos, why else would he call me now to speak with him?_ She climbed the various staircases, and reached the main tower. _What's he going to say? Is he going to ask me out on a date? Is he going to say he'll seek permission from Dad to court me, or something?_ On and on, until she reached a dark wood door, intricately carved. She took a deep breath, and knocked.

"Come in," she heard his voice say from the other side. She opened the door a crack, and slipped through the gap. "Ah, Miss Rose." He sat at his desk, writing on some documents. "Please, have a seat." He gestured at the lone chair set before his work space. "I'll be with you in a moment."

She wound the corner of her cloak up in her hands, and walked across the large open space, sitting where indicated. She sat up straight, and watched and waited as he finished up his paperwork. Eventually he set his pen down, and sat back in his chair. He took a sip from his ever-near mug. He simply looked at her, his eyes piercing behind his glasses. "So," he began.

"So," she returned.

"I think there are some things the two of us should discuss." He placed his hot chocolate back on his desk, and steepled his fingers. "As I'm sure you've noticed, it would seem that our tattoos have chosen each other for a soulmate."

"I guess."

"Tell me, what do you make of this development?"

"Uh." She scratched at her collarbone. "I dunno. It was kind of a shock, to be honest. I mean, I never would've imagined someone like you as my soulmate."

He nodded. "I feel the same way." He rose from his chair, and went to stand by the large window, gazing out at the world below, hands folded behind his back. "Since neither of us are what we were hoping for in a soulmate, I recommend that we ignore our tattoos."

She took a moment to process it. "What?"

"I know it's a hard lesson to learn while you're still so young, but the truth is that there are many people in the world who don't marry their soulmate, or otherwise romantically involve themselves with each other. There are many people who marry someone else, someone more suited to their tastes, and lead perfectly happy, full lives." He turned back around to face her. "Personally, I think you are perfectly capable of finding another partner to pursue. You're a lovely young lady, and have the whole world at your feet."

"Um."

He walked around the desk towards her. He leaned back against it, arms crossed over his chest. "As such, we can be glad to put this tattoo nonsense behind us, and continue our lives as if nothing happened."

She frowned. "But-"

"Good afternoon, Miss Rose. I wish you well." He extended his hand towards her, standing. She took it, and opened her mouth again, but he shushed her. He pulled her to her feet, and started guiding her to the door. "Do give my regards to your sister and fellow teammates. You're all doing spectacular so far in your training."

"Wait a minute, I-" But he had pushed her out over the threshold, and closed the door behind her, the wind of the movement rustling her skirt. She looked the door up and down, raised her hand as if to knock, then lowered it again. She looked down at the ground, and started to walk away. Then something tugged on her from behind, and she nearly lost her balance. Looking back, her cape had caught in the door. "Darn it," she cursed, and started pulling on it. She leaned all her weight back, yanking, and eventually the fabric popped free, and she fell backwards down the stairs. When she settled, her whole body ached, and stars danced in front of her eyes.

Shaking her head to clear it, she clambered back to her feet. She made the long trek back to her dorm. Yang lay on her bed, and looked up from her magazine when Ruby entered. "So, what did Ozpin want with you?" she asked.

"He uh... he just wanted to talk to me about my grades," Ruby told her.

"You're not falling behind, are you?"

"No, but you know how teachers are." She climbed up to her bed, flopping on top of it.

"Well, we were planning on leaving soon to get dinner."

"Fine."

"Did you find out who your soulmate is?" Weiss asked from her seat at the small table in their room, notebooks and textbooks piled on top of it.

She sighed. "Not yet."

"Well, it can't be long, not now that your tattoo's orange," Yang encouraged, and turned her attention back to her magazine. "You'll probably run into them at dinner, or tomorrow."

"Maybe." She turned her face away from them, into the pillow. _Wasn't really much of a talk._ She'd said just one sentence, and then he concluded that they should ignore their tattoos. She frowned. Ignore their tattoos? Ignore the fact that they're soulmates? That sounded the same as being told that True Love wasn't real, or that fairies didn't control the weather. With a huff she looked up, staring at the wall, and hugged the pillow to her chest. She may not know much about things, but she was certain that Love was real.

 _The next time I see him, I'll have another talk with him,_ she decided. And this time, she would say all that she wanted to say to him.


	3. The Proposal

As she walked to class with her teammates, she spotted Ozpin going down an adjacent hall, and called out to him. But he only responded with a curt "Good morning," not even stopping on his way. At lunch the next day she tried again, but he said he was very busy, and didn't even look at her. In the afternoon she asked about him in the teacher's lounge, but they said he was out. She once tried to corner him in the library, but he only reminded her that you're not meant to talk in the library, and promptly left. She even went directly to his office one evening, but he never answered the knock on the door.

 _He's avoiding me like the plague._ She pouted, stabbing at her spaghetti. It wasn't fair. He should at least give her a chance. _Give_ us _a chance._ That was the conclusion she had come to, over the past couple of days. She didn't even know if anything would come of it, or if he was right that ignoring their tattoos was for the best. But if destiny thought they should be together, who were they to deny it? Other people might be able to do it, but it just seemed wrong to her. Following wherever life and chance took her seemed to work out pretty well so far, and she wasn't about to stop, especially over something as honest and eternal as love.

One night, she tossed and turned, head buzzing. She beat her pillow, and removed a stowaway pencil that had hidden itself in the sheets, but she just couldn't get comfortable. As the time on her clock ticked out 6:53, she sat up with a sigh. She rubbed at her tired, baggy eyes, and moved down to the ground. The others still slept as Ruby tip-toed around the room. With only a gray light from outside to see by, she dressed, and left her dorm.

She stepped out of the building into the pre-dawn chill, shivering when an arctic wind rushed to greet her, rustling the yellow and green leaves in the trees. She picked a random path within Beacon's expansive courtyard, and walked along it. All was silent, the occasional bird or squirrel peering out at her from the shrubbery. She studied the brick patterns of the walkways, all so orderly and precise as she went over them. The sky above was faint shades of pink and gray and purple, a deep orange just starting to peek beyond the horizon. There was only the dew on the grass to witness her passing, her image reflected in the droplets.

Eventually she looked up, and paused for a moment. Just ahead, she could see that she had reached one of the fountains on Beacon. And sitting on a bench in front of it, his back to her, watching the water, was Professor Ozpin. Clark Ozpin. She hesitated, then set her jaw, and continued forward. "Good morning, Ozpin," she stated.

He turned at her voice. "Oh, good morning, Miss Rose." Why did he have to call her that? "What are you doing up and about?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go for a walk." She approached, and saw his legs shift, feet bracing themselves. "Don't run away again." He'd just started to lean into the movement with his cane. "I want to talk with you."

He watched her for a moment, then settled back into his seat. "Alright. What do you want to talk about?"

She sat down next to him. "I don't like how our last talk ended. You didn't really let me say what I wanted. And I've had some time to think it all over." She twiddled her thumbs, and looked away to the fountain. "Even though it surprised me, to learn that we're soulmates... I don't really think that's a bad thing. I'm pretty open-minded about it, in fact, and I think we could have a good relationship, if we tried." She scuffed the toe of her boot into the ground. "It just doesn't make much sense to me, you know? To ignore our tattoos, a part of ourselves."

His eyes were trained on a pebble sitting near the edge of the fountain. His fingers drummed the back of his hand, both of which rested on the head of his cane. "Why can't we be just friends?"

"But you won't even be that to me!" She looked up, rounding on him. "You keep avoiding and ignoring me! Even now you won't look at me!" He glanced at her. "What kind of friends don't even talk to each other?" He didn't answer, and she took a breath. "Besides... I don't want to be 'just friends' with my soulmate." She touched his arm, and finally he was looking at her, really looking. "Please? Can't you give this – give _me_ – a chance? All I'm asking for is one chance to see if we can make this work."

He held her gaze, dark brown pools fathomless, like murky lake water. Then, he leaned in. Her eyes widened, but she didn't move. His lips brushed against hers, gentle and tender. Her eyes fluttered shut, but his remained open, studying, watching. When they broke away, she opened her eyes again to see him staring intently at her. "Are you _absolutely_ sure?" he asked.

She nodded, rolling her lips. "Yes, I'm sure." And then his expression changed in the strangest way. He suddenly looked annoyed, brows furrowing.

He turned his gaze away, and stood. "Very well." He wasn't looking at her again. "Since you insist, we can... give this a chance. Just remember, you are free to end this whenever you wish, for whatever reason, or for no reason at all, if you like."

"Um, okay?" She shifted in her seat.

He tapped the end of his cane against the ground. "I had made plans to see _Technicolor_ at the cinema this evening. Would you care to accompany me?"

She furrowed her brows. " _Technicolor_? Isn't that, like, the musical that came out recently?"

"The same." He looked back at her over his shoulder. "But if you dislike musicals, we can watch something else."

"Oh no, I don't dislike them." She raised her hands defensively. "I guess I just didn't think _you_ would be into them."

He looked away again. "The movie plays at 6:45 PM. I'll forward further details to your scroll."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

He nodded. "And one more thing, Miss Rose."

"Ruby, and yes?"

"I ask that you not mention this to any of your friends, or anybody else, for that matter. Not that we're soulmates, not that we're dating, nothing. This is to remain between you and me, strictly and completely."

She looked down. "Right. Of course."

"Till tonight, then." He walked off without so much as a backwards glance. She watched him go, and it wasn't until he was out of sight that she got to her feet, and made her way back to the dormitories. In her room, her team was awake and getting ready to go.

"Hey Ruby, where were you?" Yang asked, buttoning up her shirt.

"I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk," she told them, and went to the wardrobe to change into her uniform. It would be easy to miss, if you weren't paying attention. But as she got dressed, the corners of her mouth were ever so slightly turned up.

Ozpin reached the teacher's lounge, where some people had already gathered and were readying themselves for the day. Glynda sat at the table, bent over some documents, while Peter seemed to be enjoying a cheesy croissant for breakfast. Or second breakfast. Ozpin strode for the old machine on the counter, getting himself a mug of hot chocolate. "Good morning, Professor Ozpin," Glynda greeted, looking up. " _Professor Ozpin!_ " She jumped to her feet, the chair falling to the ground behind her as he poured the contents of a small silver flask into his morning cocoa.

"I'm having a bad week," he explained.


	4. Making Moves

The whole town was tinted in shades of orange and gold, purple shadows draped everywhere. Ruby walked briskly up the streets, wearing her white and black dress, rather than her usual black and red one. She double-checked the directions Ozpin had given her, and turned the corner. And there he was, leaning against a streetlamp in front of a quaint movie theater that she didn't know exist. She tucked some hair behind her ear, and went to him. "Hey you," she called, and waved.

He looked over, and stood up straight. "Good evening, Ruby."

"I hope you weren't waiting out here for too long?"

"Not at all."

"That's good." She rocked on her heels. "Sooo... what do you think of my outfit?" She gave a little twirl.

His eyes flicked up and down. "Adorable. Here is your ticket." He held out a small slip of paper, which she took. "Shall we go in?"

"Sure." They both turned for the entrance. Walking side by side, her eyes went to his free hand hanging by his side. She reached for it, fingers moving across his palm. He pulled his hand away, placing it in his pocket. She simply looked at him, stunned for a moment, then turned her gaze to the ground, her hand curling into a fist.

Inside, she almost lost him while she was trying to hand her ticket to the usher. He walked so fast despite his cane, she trotted after him. "Oz-, I mean, Clark!" He froze, and she saw his shoulders tense.

He turned slowly back around to face her, a patient and strained smile on his face. "Yes?"

"Can we get some snacks? Like popcorn, and stuff? I'm hungry." She pointed at the small concession stand.

He sighed. "Very well." By the time she'd gotten her popcorn and soda, and they'd made it to their seats in the theater, the opening credits for the movie were halfway done. She placed the popcorn on the armrest between them, eating it one kernel at a time. But his hand never went near it.

While the protagonist on screen lamented to another character about something, her eyes peeked over to him. His gaze was focused completely on the screen, an intent look on his face. She sipped her soda, then set it to the side. She gave a big yawn, arching her back and stretching out her arms. She brought her arms down and around, moving to rest one on the back of his chair. But then, without his eyes leaving the screen, he took his cane in hand and used it to stop her arm. Hooking it around, he moved her arm back down to her side.

She frowned, brows furrowing. She settled back into her seat, and moved the popcorn into her lap. She slouched, munching away from the now half-empty container. She glanced away from the movie again, this time at the floor. She moved her foot along the ground, closer to his own foot. Then he crossed his legs, effectively putting his foot out of her reach. With a huff she sat up straight again.

Then she noticed that he had taken the armrest the popcorn had previously rested on. His hand sat half-open, careless and at peace. She made another grab at it, but he was faster, so that her hand simply grappled with the cup holder. "Okay, what's your problem?" she hissed at him.

"What's your problem?" he whispered back, eyes finally leaving the screen to glare at her.

"We're on a date, and you won't even hold my hand!"

"Be quiet!"

"Shh!" someone a couple rows behind them said, a finger to their lips.

A few moments of silence passed, and Ozpin spoke again, very softly. "Holding hands is not a requirement in a relationship."

"It is when you kiss me!"

He adjusted his glasses, and looked away to the screen. "That was a mistake. I apologize."

She felt her insides constrict. "Then why did you do it?"

"I was _hoping_ to disgust you. Most people would've been disgusted, if they'd just received a kiss from someone old enough to be their father."

"I guess I'm not most people."

"Evidently."

She blinked furiously, her chest tight. "Well, if you hate me so much, why didn't you just say so?" She crossed her arms and sunk in her seat, looking off to some dark corner of the theater.

He looked over to her. He studied her, only the profile of her face visible to him. He looked down at the ground, taking a slow breath through his nose. He slid his foot along the ground, and lightly touched her foot. Her head whipped around back to him. "I don't hate you," he said quietly. She didn't say anything, simply looking at him with those big silver eyes of hers. "If I did, I never would have agreed to giving our relationship a chance in the first place." They looked at each other for a few moments more, and then he turned his attention back to the movie. Ruby watched him, then followed suit.

Later, they exited the theater together, the both of them quiet. The streetlamps gave a soft glow, the stars just peeking out from behind the city's luminescent skirts. A faint mist ebbed in the alleyways, and no wind blew. "I think there are some things I should explain to you," he said.

"Oh yeah?" she prompted.

"Yes, because I don't think you fully understand the situation we're in. A relationship between us is...complicated, to say the least."

"Because you could be arrested?"

"Yes, but there's more to it than just that." His cane clicked against the sidewalk. "We also have our positions in society to consider. You're a young lady, a huntress in training. It could damage your reputation, forever, so that people would never show you the respect you deserve. Even if you were older, and this wasn't illegitimate, your reputation would be in jeopardy."

"Who cares about reputation?" She crossed her arms up behind her head, stretching.

"You _should_ care. Even if it doesn't matter to you what people think, what people think can make life difficult for you." He sighed. "And that goes double for me. As the headmaster of a warrior school, a scandal like this would make Beacon's renown plummet. There's a very good chance I would lose my job, and never be hired in a field of work that involved children or teens ever again. And even then, people would be reluctant to hire me, just so they could avoid the stigma."

She frowned, lowering her arms again. "You talk as if we've been convicted of a crime. Like, okay it's kind of weird for us to be dating, but we haven't actually _done_ anything. They can't book us if we haven't done anything, right?"

"We don't have to do anything. The suspicion is all people need."

She kicked at a crumpled can. "It's kind of a special circumstance anyways, isn't it? We're soulmates, that changes things."

"Not as much as you'd think, and not as much as in the eyes of the public."

"But I want this!" He looked down to her. "I was the one who asked you to give me a chance. Doesn't the fact that this is my choice count for anything?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. They would say I'm abusing my authority over you as a headmaster." She glared at the ground. "Like I said, it's complicated. I told you earlier that we must keep this a secret. I mean a complete secret. We cannot give anybody a reason to suspect us. Not the slightest hint. So, for as long as there are other people around to witness it, we cannot be demonstrating any form of affection towards each other."

She sighed. "Fine, I get it."

"Do you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Though, if you ask me, just holding hands doesn't say much about what sort of relationship two people have."

"It can say a lot if you know who the people are individually."

"Whatever."

"You're still too young to appreciate the big picture in all this, and that's part of the problem."

"I get it, I get it." She looked up, her jaw set. "I'll stop showing you affection in public. I'll stop trying to hold your hand. Even if I don't think there's anything wrong with it, I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."

He nodded. "Thank you." They crossed the street, shadows dancing across the stones.

"So, what'll we do for our next date?"

He seemed to deflate a little. "I don't know, what would you like to do?"

She thought for a moment. "Just a little while ago, the museum opened a new exhibit on weapons. Old weapons, artsy weapons, useless weapons, and possible future weapons. I've been wanting to go check it out. So, let's check it out together."

He gave a tired smile. "Very well. We can discuss the details later." They reached the small airship station, and stepped aboard the one due for the school on the cliff.

"I don't think this date went too bad," she informed him. "Even if things were kind of awkward, and I felt bad at first when you wouldn't hold my hand. At least we were able to have a talk about it."

"I'm glad we were able to come to an understanding."

"It was a good movie. Kind of depressing, though."

"Maybe next time we'll watch something a bit more cheerful."

 _Next time._ She smiled privately to herself at the prospect.

As soon as the airship landed, he exited before her. "Good night, Ruby." Just a toss of his hand over his shoulder, at that same fast pace that she could hardly keep up with. She paused, and watched him go, a tightness in her chest again.

She gave a little wave. "Good night... Clark." She made the long, slow way to her dorm, the night air raising goosebumps on her skin where exposed. She entered the room.

"Hey Ruby, did you finish your errands in town?" Yang greeted, looking up from her homework. Weiss lay on her bed, wearing a clay mask and cucumber goggles.

"Yeah, basically." She leaned against the wall, pulling her shoes off. "Where's Blake?" she asked when she noticed the faunus was missing.

"Library. Research." Ruby nodded, and climbed up to her bed. "Hey, you okay? You've really been seeming kind of down these days."

She sighed. "It's complicated."

She sat up. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No. I'll figure it out myself, eventually."

Elsewhere, Ozpin climbed the long staircase to his apartment. The massive gears in the tower echoed against the walls and each other. A terrible, always present sound, always impending, always reminding, always foreboding. Especially at night, when the moon's pale sickly fingers stretched across the black, clinging to whatever they could reach. Sickly. _I shouldn't have corrected her,_ he thought. What was he thinking? What kind of fool encourages a 15-year-old like that, by playing footsie with her? Clinging. Why did he bother trying to explain things to her? Why did he want her to understand, to be more careful?

Surely it was just proof to how immature she was, and how wrong they were for each other, if he had to explain such obvious things to her. What a fool she is! Oh, but could a fool coordinate in seconds such a synced attack against a giant nevermore, with teammates she was largely unfamiliar with? How striking she looked when she reached the top of that cliff, how brave. But she's careless. Careless. Carefree. With a smile like the sun.

He felt so sick.


	5. Searching the Stars

For once, Ruby's attention was focused on her notebook during class. She scribbled away, pencil moving continuously. But she only wrote one thing over and over again: _Clark Ozpin Clark Ozpin Clark Ozpin Clark Ozpin Clark Ozpin..._ She was trying to get used to it. To both names. It wasn't until the bell rang that she closed her notebook up. But she'd only just stepped out of the classroom when Yang grabbed her by the shoulder. "Hey, we need to talk," she said. She pulled her aside, where her whole team gathered.

"What about?" Ruby asked.

"You've been acting pretty strange lately," Weiss said. "And then I remembered, your tattoo." Ruby grabbed at her arm automatically. "Right. It's been a little while since it turned orange, so, you must've discovered your soulmate by now. That's gotta be why you've been acting strange, right? I mean, it's basically impossible for anyone's tattoo to remain orange for more than a week."

She looked away. "Uh...yeah. I met my soulmate." _I'm sorry, Ozpin._

"Why didn't you say something?" Yang asked, and leaned over, trying to peer into her face. "Who are they? Can you show us your tattoo?"

Her grip tightened on her arm. "I'd rather not show it to you guys, ever. It's complicated," Ruby said.

"Aw, did your soulmate turn out to be some jerk?" Weiss asked, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Don't worry about it too much," Blake said. "You don't have to get together with your soulmate, after all. Especially if they're someone you don't like."

"No, it's not that," Ruby said, shaking her head. "He's not a jerk, and I don't dislike him. But... I don't know. I can't really talk about it."

Yang frowned. "Why not? You know we're here for you, no matter what, right?" she told her.

"I know. But I'd rather handle this on my own. I think it's better that way, you know?" Her teammates exchanged looks. "C'mon, let's hurry before all the good seats in class are taken." She walked past them down the hall, holding her notebook close.

* * *

She found him waiting in the plaza in front of the museum. "Hey there," she called, waving.

He greeted her with a smile. "Good timing. I just got here myself."

"Awesome, man. Let's get to it." She lead the way into the museum. "This place is the best, Dad used to take me and Yang here when we were little."

"I look forward to it, in that case," Ozpin said, paying for their admission at a kiosk.

She glanced at the screen on the wall, a map and directory highlighted in blue and white. "Okay, the new weapons exhibit is that-a-way." She pointed down the large hall, and practically skipped down it, Ozpin trailing behind her. In the main room, Ruby stood and oohed and awed at it all. Massive, archaic, transforming ballistas hung from the ceiling. Swords of every shape and size, some taller and wider than a man, were hung on the walls. Some traditional, some with accouterments for unique abilities. Axes with blades that detached on a chain, collapsible spears, shields with hidden blades that could be fired off.

Rusty old guns with legends attached, and spiked gauntlets that glittered like gold, empty gun belts dangling from them. The people milled about, observing the displays. Light streamed from massive skylights and windows high above. Gargantuan flags from ancient kingdoms past were draped across the gaps, tinting and changing the color of the light where it passed through. A tour guide lead a group of children to a small table, where they could examine the individual parts of an early sniper-scythe.

"Look, look over there!" she said, pointing. She waited until Ozpin caught up before bolting for a closer look at a tank. "This is one of the first models they made that relied more on concentrated pulses of Dust rather than the standard Dust artillery rounds. Look." She gestured at the pattern on the barrel. "This one could fire lightning, fire, and plasma blasts!"

"You are... certainly well read on the subject."

"Of course." She stood up straight, squared her shoulders, and put her hands on her hips. "I would consider the history of weaponry and their uses to be as important as the history of humanity. We'd never have been able to get this far without them."

"In a manner of speaking."

She relaxed her stance. She looked around, turning on the spot. "Oh, look at that one!" She tugged on his sleeve, and lead him deeper into the exhibit. In a display case stood a glass glaive, veins of dust making intricate patterns throughout it, old and stained. "It says here that they had to get special permission to put this one on display, and that it traveled halfway around the world to get to this museum," she read off of the plaque. "Pretty cool, huh?"

He adjusted his glasses. "It looks too delicate to be a weapon."

"It is now because it's so old, but back in its prime, it was tough as nails." She flexed her small biceps for emphasis.

"Uhuh."

She lowered her arms. "Oh, but check _that_ out!" And on and on she lead him through the exhibit, at any of the variety of the weapons on display. Each time she would try to point out something different with each of them, some tidbit of trivia that she hoped would engage him. But his eyes always slid off of the weapons, or he simply looked at them as if he was staring at a rock, or a uniquely colored rock. She sometimes caught his gaze drifting off to other exhibits in the museum. She had the distinct impression that he didn't care at all about weapons, and felt that he was merely chaperoning her.

A chaperone. She was watching her feet now, one foot in front of the other over beige and white tiles. Did he even really care about any of this? From the way he spoke sometimes, it sounded like it was just a great burden to him to date her. Even if he didn't hate her, there's a wide spectrum between 'like' and hate. If she hadn't asked him directly, wouldn't he have just kept on ignoring her? Was he simply humoring her, all the while waiting for her to grow tired of him and break up? She didn't want to break up over something as trivial as that...

She looked up, and across the way she could see the museum cafe, a short line at the counter. "Hey, you wanna get a drink?" she asked, looking back at him and jerking her head towards the cafe.

"Sure." They went and got in line, only waiting a moment until they could place their orders.

"A large strawberry milkshake, please." She held up a finger for emphasis.

Ozpin smirked. "A milkshake, in this weather?"

"A milkshake is good in _all_ weather, I'll have you know."

He didn't reply, simply turning to the cashier. "I'll just have a medium hot chocolate." He handled the purchasing and received their order number, and they both took a seat at one of the tables near the large glass windows that overlooked the street. Outside, the world went on with its merry ways. One girl who under-dressed walked with her arms wrapped around herself, her teeth chattering visibly. A man walked without seeing where he was going, eyes glued to his scroll. A mother walk by with her child, who was dressed like a dinosaur.

When their number was called, Ozpin got up and fetched their drinks, setting hers in front of her with a straw and spoon and napkin. She picked up the spoon and looked it over as she popped off the lid from her drink. "Do you want to do something else?" she asked, finally.

He looked up, the narrow opening in the lid of his hot chocolate right by his mouth. "Something else?"

She churned her milkshake with the straw. "We could go do something else, if you want. We don't have to be at the museum, if you don't want to be."

He lowered his drink. "Why would we do that?"

She ate a spoonful of flavored ice and milk and fruit chunks before answering. "It's just that you don't really seem like you're having a lot of fun. You seem kind of bored by all of this, honestly." She looked down at the faint glare of light reflecting in the window. "You don't have to put up with things just to make me happy, you know? I thought we could be, like, happy together, but if you're not enjoying yourself, then, I don't know."

He didn't say anything, studying her. Then he turned his gaze outside, and sipped at his cocoa. The sounds of the other cafe patrons were oddly ambient, in that great open hall. "Is it wrong to do things that make you happy?" he asked quietly.

"It's not wrong," she amended quickly. "I just want you to be happy too, and even if you don't hate any of this, I can't help but feel guilty if I'm just dragging you along." She sat back, taking a quick slurp of her shake. "I don't know. I'm not really making a lot of sense. Forget it." He shrugged, his face still in profile to her. She stirred her milkshake, watching the bits of strawberry and seeds sink and rise in the pink swirls. _This isn't really working out like I'd hoped._ Could it be that sometimes soulmates just aren't really meant for each other? It sounded contradictory, but maybe it was for the best. _Clark Ozpin._ She imagined she could feel the letters against her arm, that same tingly, electrifying, almost painful feeling when they first revealed themselves to her in a golden splash.

 _There's just no way true love isn't real... right?_ When they finished their drinks, she gestured and lead him down the corridors of the museum to some of the more permanent exhibits. They walked until she stood proud and smiling in front of a large dome structure, half of it sticking out of the wall into the museum, while the other half presumably sat outside. Two large doorways were set next to each other, closed off only by some curtains, and separated from each other by some cloth railed. A young supervisor stood at a podium between the Entrance and Exit. Above, in large blue letters, PLANETARIUMAZE was emblazoned on the side of the dome.

"What is this?" Ozpin asked.

"It's the Planetariumaze, ta-da!" She did jazz-hands.

"I can see that, but what does that mean?"

"It's a planetarium and a maze combined." She approached the doorway marked Entrance. "This was always the best part of the museum when me and Yang came as kids."

"Howdy folks. Would you like a map for the Planetariumaze?" the supervisor greeted.

Ruby held up a hand and walked past her. "No thanks. It's more authentic to do it on your own." Ozpin followed her.

"Enjoy yourselves!" they heard the supervisor say before the black curtains closed behind them. For a moment, they stood in complete darkness, unable to even see each other. Then, gentle lights appeared all around them, swirling and merging into galaxies, nebulas, and clouds of stars. Ruby couldn't suppress an awe of appreciation, and waved her hand through one of the nearby stars, it passing right through her flesh. She peeked up at Ozpin, and could see a smile on his face, his dark eyes sparkling in the light. She silently pumped her fist in victory.

A narrator's voice started playing, giving that usual speech about space and its endless and mysterious wonders. Ozpin tapped at a star below him with his cane, and a brief description was suddenly given about that particular star. The two started to move forward, listening to the fount of information the narrator had to give them as they passed through a galaxy. They both were looking away and around at the other stars, only pausing for a moment when they suddenly ran into an invisible wall. Regaining her balance, Ruby's wide eyes landed on some constellations of swords, and walked towards them, hand outstretched. Adjusting his glasses, Ozpin heard the narrator go on to talk about some massive sun in a galaxy, saw it swirling in front of him, and walked in the opposite direction from Ruby.

After that first run-in with the wall, Ozpin was more cautious. He kept tapping and feeling around with his cane, listening closely to the narrator. Though he didn't walk into an invisible wall again, he did walk down two dead ends, and had to backtrack as the narrator carried on. He once briefly encountered someone else who had entered the maze after him, and directed them away from the dead-end he had just escaped. But before he knew it, he could see slivers of bright light ahead of him, making the stars and planets near it seem faded. He approached, and blinked and squinted in the light as he pushed the curtain aside and exited the planetariumaze.

"Did you have fun?" the supervisor asked as he moved a little out of the way, trying to get his bearings.

"Yes, it was truly enjoyable... Ruby?" He spun on the spot, just now noticing that she wasn't by his side anymore. He stopped and looked to the supervisor. "Did a young lady wearing a red hood exit from here earlier?"

She shook her head. "Not that I saw. She's probably still navigating the maze."

"Hm." His eyes traveled up to those neon blue letters marking the dome. "I'll just have to wait for her, then." He went and sat on a nearby bench, set against the wall opposite the Planetariumaze. At first he looked at nothing in particular, observing the design of the lights, the trim on the walls, the sheen and slight reflectiveness of the tiles. Then he started to count the ticks on his watch, and take note of the people walking up and down the halls. He saw a couple of boys enter the maze, and then witnessed the person he had directed earlier exit the maze. He checked the time. Ruby still hadn't come out.

More people entered the maze, and the two boys from earlier exited. Ozpin started to pace. "She's got to be near the exit now," the supervisor offered, her smile starting to look nervous. "I mean, it's pretty unusual for someone to take so long. I'm sure she's about to step out right now." Another few minutes passed, and it seemed the sunny weather outside had turned gray and cold.

He stopped in his pacing. "Is there anything I should know about this Planetariumaze?" he asked.

"Oh no, we haven't had an accident in, uh, I mean, never. It's perfectly safe." She beared her teeth in something resembling a grin.

He looked her directly in the eyes. "...Really." She nodded. He glanced back up at the sign and down to her. He walked to the entrance. "I'm going to look for her." He didn't pause this time when he was enveloped in darkness. He ignored the pretty holograms and the soothing narrator's voice, and took out his scroll from his pocket. He started walking, accessing the web from his scroll and doing a general search on the Planetariumaze. A variety of links came up, first and foremost to the museum's website. He narrowed his search to news articles.

He didn't even get past the first page when a headline caught his eye. A couple of years ago, a child had wandered into a restricted section of the maze. They fell through a gap in the catwalk, and was killed in the machinery below. An image suddenly flashed through his mind's eye of Ruby getting churned up in massive cogs, her body broken and her cape shredded. He shook his head. _She's not a child, she's not foolish enough to just mindlessly explore the backstage area of this maze._ Unbeknownst to him, he had started to walk a little bit faster.

He kept scrolling, and came across another article, reading part of it in the link summary. Not too long ago, a child is suspected of having been kidnapped from the Planetariumaze, when they entered but was never seen to have exited. According to the news story, that child is still declared missing, with information at the bottom on how to contact the child's parents and the local police department should any reader posses information on the child's whereabouts. A sudden shiver went down Ozpin's spine when he imagined a hulking figure sneaking up behind Ruby and pressing a chloroform rag to her mouth. But that was ridiculous. She once beat up an entire group of armed gangsters, no sweat. _But she doesn't have her weapon with her... she didn't arm herself for our date._ He consciously walked even faster.

On the second page of results, he found his throat going dry. Another article described how once the Dust used in the machinations of the Planetariumaze malfunctioned, and electrocuted someone to death who had reached out to touch a star. He vividly remembered Ruby cooing at the lights, mindlessly waving her hand through a red dwarf. He closed his scroll with a click, and returned it to his pocket. He was jogging now, just managing to catch himself from slamming into the various walls as he wandered. "Ruby!" he called. _This is ridiculous. I'm over-thinking this._ A couple of people gave him a deer-in-the-headlights look as he ran past them, making noise. _She can take care of herself._ When he saw he was nearing the end again, he turned and backtracked. _It's just a silly maze, made to entertain kids._

But the maze it seemed was much more winding than he could have ever imagined, and no amount of droning from the narrator about the vastness of space could have made him felt it more than he did then, wandering through the black with only the scattered light of projected stars to light his way. But the stars offered no guidance, the narrator had no wisdom to share, and his voice seemed like it was being swallowed up by the images of black holes. He tried his best not to dwell on any of the articles, or whatever new horrors his mind conjured. _She's fine, she's safe, she's not hurt, she doesn't need my help, she's not upset, she's not afraid, she's fine, she's fine, she's fine-_

He swung around a corner and collided with someone. They cried out, and they both lost their balance, falling over. They lay side-by-side. Ozpin stared up at the ceiling, glasses askew, trying to catch his breath. Ruby sat up beside him. "Clark, what is with you?! Why are you so freaked out?" He didn't answer. He simply stared at her, heart hammering in his chest. She quirked a brow, the corner of her mouth turning up. "What, are you having an existential crisis or something?"

And he laughed. A breathy, shaky laugh, more relieved than anything else. _See? You were just being silly. She **was** fine the whole time._ She laughed with him, the two of them giggling in the dark, surrounded by a thousand holographic stars. He eventually sat up, fixing his glasses. "I think that's enough natural science and history for one day," he said. Using his cane for support, he got to his feet, and offered a hand to Ruby to help her up. He personally guided her through the maze, not wasting time to explore any of the offshoots.

Back in the light of day they kept walking, Ruby with a shy little smile on her face. She looked down. Clark still hadn't let go of her hand, even though they had left the maze. She looked back up at him, an easy expression on his face as he quickly read the directional signs posted occasionally and lead them to the main exit of the museum. She dared not move her fingers, lest he remember and break the contact. Instead she kept smiling her almost-secret smile, keeping pace with him.

It was such a nice change. _His hand's so warm._ He had such an easy laugh too, so throaty and cheerful-sounding, as if there was nothing wrong in the world when he laughed. She'd never noticed it before, but his eyes seemed to have a curious melting quality, so kind when they weren't piercing into her soul. And his hand was warm. He was warm. He was so, so warm, and it felt like she was looking at someone brand new. She desperately resisted the urge to tighten her grip on his hand, lest this mysterious man slip away forever.

Eventually Clark had lead them back to the main entrance area of the museum, and they walked out of the front door together. They walked through the little plaza, down the street. A chilly wind blew, and it wasn't until then that Clark noticed that only one of his hands felt cold in that wind. He looked down, following his arm to the hand that betrayed him and still held Ruby's hand. He let go. "Oh, sorry."

She frowned for a moment, the cold stinging against where his hand once was. But then she simply shrugged and smiled at Ozpin. "It's okay, I don't think anybody gave us any funny looks." He gave a curt nod, and turned and kept walking, and Ruby moved beside him.

Just like that, and she cursed herself for not gripping his hand tighter. Just like that, and those icy walls were back, his face as wintry as his hair. His eyes were frozen solid, and he moved and acted with all those detached mannerisms that he was so well-known for. _And people call Weiss the Ice Queen..._ 'Snow King' seemed apt. But she peered up at him from the corner of her eye. It might have just been the autumn chill, but his cheeks seemed ever so faintly flushed.

Her secret smile returned. Her hand still remembered the warmth of his, her ears still tickled with his laugh. She held her hands behind her back, humming. Ozpin glanced at her, then looked ahead again, his expression relaxing a little. _I knew it._ No way could she let someone as warm as him escape, now that she's seen him thaw. No way could she give up now. No way was he just humoring her. People didn't let their guard down like that for just anyone, even she knew that. _One of these days, I'll get you to understand you can always relax around me._ And then he would be warm, warm, warm.

And perhaps that day wasn't as far off as she had initially thought.


	6. Fowl Play

Ozpin sat at the table in the teacher's lounge, organizing papers in a folder. Glynda entered the room, her arms filled with paperwork. "Good morning Professor Ozpin, have you seen my pen?" She started opening up the cupboards, peering into them.

"Good morning Glynda. Why would your pen be in here?" He sipped at his drink.

"Because this is the last place I remember having it." She rummaged in the drawers.

"Do you need it right now?"

"Yes."

He retrieved a pen from his breast pocket, and held it out to her. "You can have mine for now. You can try searching for your pen later."

She accepted the writing utensil. "Thank you, sir." She walked past him towards the exit, then stopped and turned back around. "Before I forget, Barrie invited us both to an All Grimm's Eve party he's throwing."

"Who?"

"Barrie, you remember," she snapped her fingers, "the one with the hair?"

His brow creased for a moment before relaxing again. "Oh right. Barrie."

"I'm going," she informed. "It's been a while since I've seen Barrie. And it seems that would go double for you."

"Yes, well, I suppose I'll go too." He tapped the papers into an even pile against the table. "It would be refreshing to see old friends again." He closed the papers up in the folder, and tucked the folder under his arm. He walked past her for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I have a private engagement at the moment. I'll see you later, Glynda." He gave a cursory wave over his shoulder.

* * *

The trees were dressed in golds and scarlets, though some were scandalous enough to still allow a bit of green to peek through. The discarded leaves skipped along the ground, scattering and gathering as whim dictated. Long cobble-stone pathways stretched about, with some water fountains set at the occasional juncture. A little ways away, some kids played, flying a kite and jumping in leaves. Ozpin walked through the park, careful that his cane didn't get caught in any of the seams in the sidewalk. When he reached a certain light pole that had a weathercock perched atop it, he stopped. A quick look around told him all he needed to know, and he took a seat on the nearby bench.

No sooner had he sat down than his scroll buzzed in his pocket. A text from Ruby read: "Sorry, I'm running a bit late. I'll be there soon! :) xo" He typed a quick reply, then settled, arms resting on the back of the bench. He watched the birds chirp and huddle, pecking at the ground for insects. He watched a squirrel run up a tree, and another one sneak near a bush and bury a nut in the ground.

An old man with wild hair and a receding hairline ambled by, pushing a small merchant's wagon full of bagged crumbs. One of the younger children who had been jumping in the leaves slipped on one and fell, and began to blubber. From seemingly nowhere their mother appeared at their side, and comforted them. Enjoying a walk through the park, Ozpin spotted a young couple, the two holding hands and smiling as they chatted.

He watched them as they went, the two looking like they were in their twenties, close in age. He felt a small weight begin to build in his chest. _Why did this have to happen?_ He could feel the stiffness in his bones. He felt at his jaw, fearing for a moment that he'd missed a spot when he'd shaved that morning. _I'm so wrong for her._ Ruby was such a spirited girl, she deserved someone who could keep up with her, like how that young couple could probably keep up with each other.

Him...he was just old and worn out by comparison. He knew he wasn't much fun to be around, he could see it in her eyes whenever he failed to output the same amount of boundless energy she displayed in reaction to something. But she never said a word. Was she just putting up with him because they were soulmates? Did he ever intimidate her, just from the difference in maturity between them?

"Hey!" He looked up to see Ruby jogging towards him, waving. He stood as she stopped in front of him. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting?"

He gave her an easy smile. "Not at all."

"Alright, then let's get going." She turned and lead the way, her red cape a whirl. He followed close behind, the two of them walking aimlessly through the various paths in the park. He watched as she occasionally took too-big or too-small steps to crush a leaf underfoot, smiling when it crunched. He could feel some of the anxiety and tension slip away from him, observing her antics as she began to babble about her school life. _Thank God she doesn't feel pressured to be mature, at least._

But this relationship was lasting a lot longer than he had initially expected. He'd expected it to last a week at most, give or take a few days. He'd expected her enthusiasm to die down, he'd expected her to lose interest. He'd expected her to realize that her life can't be dictated to her by a tattoo. He _hadn't_ expected her to cling. He hadn't expected her to keep trying. And now he could feel it all closing around him like a vice. Tightening and squeezing him painfully every time it seemed that her feelings were hurt. Why wouldn't she just break it off, so she could finally go be happy with someone better for her?

"Oh look, look!" she said, pointing. He looked over to see the old man from earlier with his cart, standing next to his wares. "Breadcrumbs!" She turned to him, and it seemed her smile could light up the sun. "Can we get some, to feed the ducks and stuff?"

"Oh, certainly." He immediately went to fish out his wallet, but when he looked up again, his eyes widened to see Ruby already at the stall. She paid the merchant for two bags of breadcrumbs, and came skipping back.

"This one's yours." She held it out to him.

He accepted it from her, putting his wallet away. "Thank you."

"No problem. Now, let's go find some ducks to fatten up." She turned on an offshoot in the trails, bag swinging in her hand. He watched her for a moment before pursuing. Soon the trail lead alongside a creek. Ruby went to it, using her arms for balance as she climbed down the steep bank. Ducks, a couple geese, and various other waterfowl floated with and against the current of the dark water. Ruby sat on her heels, grabbing a fistful of crumbs in her hand.

He came up beside her as she tossed her breadcrumbs in the water. The birds swam away for a moment, startled, then began to gather around the food, plucking it out of the water. Ozpin crouched down, setting his cane to the side. It didn't take long for the ducks to start bickering and quacking at each other. The littler birds just slipped under their wings, stealing what bits they could. The geese reigned supreme, their girth easily knocking the other fowl aside. He peered at Ruby, who had that same easy, bright smile on her face as she watched the birds.

"Have you ever done this before?" she asked.

He glanced down to his crumb bag, and said, "No, actually. This would be a first."

"Do you know how to do it?"

He quirked a brow. "Isn't it just throwing the crumbs to the birds?"

"Oh no no," she shook her head, "there's a technique and everything to this." She set her bag aside, and scooted over to him. She took his bag and his hand, and poured out some of the crumbs into his palm. "You can only do a little bit at a time." She closed his fingers around the crumbs. She moved closer, wrapping her arm around and gripping his by the forearm. His shoulders stiffened. "And then, you gotta throw it like this, so it goes in an arc, and everybody gets a piece." She guided his arm through the motion, and opened and closed her free hand for emphasis on how to scatter it.

 _She's too close._ What if someone were to see them?

"Go on, you give it a try," she said, giving his shoulder a little shake. He moved his arm the way she'd shown, opening his hand and letting the breadcrumbs cascade out of his fingers in a fan. Immediately the ducks and geese went to it, gobbling it up before it could get too soggy and sink, or else float away. "There you go." She clapped her hands.

She leaned away to grab her own bag, then started tossing her own crumbs to the geese again. But she was still so close, their arms touching, as it almost seemed like she was leaning against him for support. _I should move away._ Just a few inches more to the right and they'd have space between them again. Or he could otherwise jostle her with his elbow, and get her to move away from him. Just a little bit of space, so that nobody who saw them would be suspicious.

A goose flapped its wings and exited the creek. It waddled towards them. Ozpin started to rear back, but Ruby caught him, taking hold of his arm. "No wait, I think it's okay," she said. She moved his arm forward, imploring his fingers to open and reveal the crumbs to the goose. He went very still, watching the goose for any signs that he should retract his hand. It came closer, tilting its head and turning it to look at them. It looked down at the breadcrumbs, back at him, then started nibbling the breadcrumbs out of his hand, pinching and tickling.

"Ah, amazing!" Ruby cooed, fingers going to thinly veil her smile. Ozpin could only stare, stunned. The other ducks and geese soon followed suit, gathering around. Ruby quickly started tossing crumbs to them, and holding her hand out. The ducks went to her, trying to poke their heads into the bag. She held it against her chest, guarding it, and they started snuffling all around her. She giggled as they tugged on her clothes, pulling on laces and loose strings.

One hopped up on her shoulders, pecking at her hair, and she fell over as they stepped all over her. She laughed and rolled in the grass as they besieged her, quacking and poking their beaks around in search of the crumbs. Clark watched her, and felt his heart flutter in his chest, teasing a smile out of him. _What a magical person._ Her black and red hair glittered in the sun, her eyes shining. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, her laugh pure.

He was so busy watching her, he didn't notice the goose sneak up beside him, and suddenly snatch his glasses off his face. "Wha- Hey!" he said, turning to see the goose waddling off at top speed with his glasses. "Those are mine!" He got to his feet and started chasing it.

"Oh snap." Ruby scrambled up and followed after him.

A squawking group of waterfowl followed after them both, feathers molting, some pausing to pick up the occasional dropped crumb.

The goose started to flap its wings. "It's taking flight!" Clark realized. A sudden blur of crimson and rose petals went past him, and Ruby tackled the goose before it could take off. They rolled on the ground to a stop, Ruby wrapping her arm around its body, pinning its wings, and holding its head still by the neck as it struggled. Clark slowed down to a walk, stopping in front of her.

"Don't worry, I got it!" She jerked her head back just in time before the goose could smack her with one of its wings. "Just get your glasses."

He knelt down, and pinched the goose's jaw. Its mouth popped open, and the glasses fell to the ground. He swiftly picked them up as Ruby let the goose fly off. "That was a bit more than I had bargained for," Clark remarked, inspecting the glasses for damage.

"Heh heh, yeah..." She brushed some leaves out of her hair, looking at him. "You know, you're really handsome without your glasses." He felt a warmth come to his cheeks. "I mean, not to say you aren't handsome _with_ the glasses, but it's a different kind of handsome." He put his glasses back on. "Without them you're like a pretty-handsome, and with them you're more like a smart-handsome."

"That will do." Ozpin stood, just as the other ducks and birds caught up with them in their chase. Ozpin overturned his bag of crumbs, letting the remainder of it fall to the ground in a pile. He then offered a hand to Ruby, which she took, and pulled her to her feet.

"I just realized, we left your cane behind in that chase."

"It's fine. I don't need it to walk." He adjusted his glasses on his nose, and turned and lead the way back to where he'd left his cane. Ruby followed at a bit of a distance, leaving a breadcrumb trail as she went. She emptied out her bag as Ozpin picked up his cane.

"I'm glad they didn't get broken." She went to a nearby trash can and threw out the empty bag. "It wouldn't have been as much fun if they had been."

He paused. "You're having fun?"

"Of course. I always have fun when I'm with you."

He rejoined her on the sidewalk. "I was under the impression I was a bit of a drag."

"Nah, man," she gave him a light punch on the shoulder, "you're great. You're always up for anything, which is what makes you fun to be around." He considered for a moment as they walked, then his mouth turned up for a small smile.

There came a point where a short railing ran alongside the path, and Ruby balanced on it, her arms stuck out as she walked. "So All Grimm's Eve is coming up," she said. Ozpin looked up. "I was thinking you and I could hang out on that night. Go trick-or-treating maybe, watch scary movies and pig out on candy..."

"As inviting as that sounds," he could already feel his stomach churning from the thought of consuming so much sugar, "I have already made plans to attend a party being thrown by one of my old colleagues that night."

"Oh." Her shoulders slumped.

His breath hitched. "We'll do something else, some other time. Maybe watch a ghost movie."

She smiled at him. "Sure, no problem."


	7. Night Fright

Ruby sat on her bed in her dorm. Crescent Rose lay in pieces around her, carefully organized, as she worked on polishing each piece.

"So guys, what do ya think?" Yang asked, and twirled, showing off her outfit for the night.

"Very stylish," Weiss complimented. She was just finishing up brushing her long hair.

"Thanks, the town won't know what hit it." She boxed the air.

"Neptune has assured me and Blake that the selection of horror movies he and Sun have picked out is quite extensive." She set her brush down, and started putting her hair up. "So we should be well preoccupied."

"What about you, Ruby?" Yang turned to her sister. "You make any plans for All Grimm's Eve with your secret boyfriend?"

"Oh no," Ruby answered. "He had a party to go to, so I'll just be chilling here. Catch up on some of my studies, that kind of stuff."

A moment of silence followed. "He's going to a party...without you?"

Ruby looked up at the tone of Yang's voice. "Yang-"

"What a jerk!" She put her hands on her hips. "Why didn't he invite you as a plus one?"

Ruby sighed. "I told you, our relationship is complicated-"

"So complicated he can't even take you to parties with him? You guys have already been on a number of dates!" She paced from the door back to the middle of the room. "Why if I were you, I'd crash that lame party of his and give him a piece of my mind!"

"It's not that big of a deal, Yang."

"Heck, I'd give him a piece of my mind just for making you keep so many secrets." She crossed her arms. "It just doesn't seem fair. Like he's taking advantage of you."

"He's not!"

"What kind of boyfriend wants to keep his girlfriend a secret?" Weiss asked. "You can say all you like that he's nice, but something just doesn't feel right about all this. Like, is he embarrassed to be seen in public with you, or something?"

"N-no," Ruby argued. "He's-"

"Weiss, it's time to go," Blake said quietly.

"Right," Weiss agreed, and stood. She looked back to Ruby. "It's your business, but you can hardly blame us for trying to watch out for you." She left the room with Blake.

Yang walked towards the door herself, muttering, "Especially when he's some jerk who doesn't even take you to parties with him..." The door closed behind her with a click.

Ruby groaned, and flopped back on her bed. She stared up at the ceiling, listening to the silence. Her chest felt tight, and her throat felt like it was closing up. Why did they have to say such things? Why couldn't they trust her? Why did they have to assume the worst? If they even realized who they were talking about... she bet they'd change their minds lickity split. Ozpin was always spoken of in the highest regards, why couldn't her 'secret boyfriend' get the same treatment?

She rested an arm across her eyes. She was so tired, in more ways than one. She could feel the ache in her muscles, the weight of her lungs. Their words echoed in her head, spinning and twisting. She lifted her arm up again, her eyes narrowing.

* * *

Ozpin stood with Glynda, listening as his old colleagues shared and exchanged stories, filling in the blanks of the time they'd spent apart. He sipped from his wine glass. It turned out that Barrie knew many more people than Ozpin could have ever given him credit for. The room was packed, and the man himself was constantly in motion, drifting between conversations and greeting people as if he knew them all quite well.

"And I said, 'Tune her? I thought you said tuna!'" a brunet told in their little group. A round of appreciative chuckles was shared. "Ahaha, yeah, I then had to pay over 3000 lien in damages."

"Bad luck, that!" Barrie said, making his way to their group. He was a portly man with a blond toupee. He clapped the brunet on the back, and looked between them all. "I would hope you others aren't in such financial straits?"

A ginger lifted his finger from around his glass. "My niece is getting married. I mean to give her a tea set as a wedding gift, but you wouldn't believe how much they can go for."

"Aw, but congratulations on your niece's marriage! Speaking of which, that reminds me..." He lowered his voice, and leaned in towards the middle of their circle. "I was actually planning to make an announcement about it later tonight, but I'll let you fellows have a preview. It's part of the reason I decided to invite all of you here tonight." He held out his arm, turning it so the underside faced up, and pulled up his sleeve. In glittering golden cursive, his tattoo spelled _Moira Ash_. He beamed at them all. "I discovered my soulmate!"

A round of "congratulations" was said between them all.

He straightened back up, pulling his sleeve down. "I know, I know, I'm so excited" He was practically trembling. "I feel as giddy as a schoolgirl! To think, that my tattoo would turn in my old age."

"You're not that old, Barrie," the ginger countered.

"Thank you." He rested a hand on the ginger's shoulder. "It just goes to show, true love can find you, no matter how ancient you are."

"And sometimes it comes breaking down your door to get you," the brunet said. "I came across my soulmate when she clocked me in a massive bar fight. But she patched me up afterwards and footed the hospital bill to make up for it."

"Haha, life's that way sometimes, huh?" He looked around at the others. "What about you? Found or still hoping?"

The ginger shook his head.

"Not yet," said Glynda.

He could almost feel the damning letters burning on his arm. "I have a feeling my tattoo will always be brown."

"Oh, don't say that," Barrie said. "I'm sure Mrs or Mr Right is out there for you somewhere."

He tilted his head in an uncommitted nod, and shrugged. He went to take another sip of his wine, and froze. He stared past Barrie's shoulder, eyes widening, breath vanishing. There, timidly maneuvering through the crowd, wearing what appeared to be a cheap wolf costume but unmistakably her, was his soulmate. He straightened back up, turning his gaze to the others. "Glynda will you hold this for me?" he requested, not even waiting to hear her answer before passing his glass over. "I need to make a call."

"Uh, yes, but, Clark?" she questioned and spun on the spot as he walked past her. He circled around, first making sure that his friends lost track of him in the crowd. Then his eyes zeroed in on the wandering Ruby. He went up behind her, and tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned around. "Oh _there_ you are-" she started to say.

He gripped her by the arm. "May I have a word with you?" he ground out. He lead her through the room, avoiding people as much as they could, and they stepped out of the apartment into the hall. He then pulled her over to the nearby utility closet, and they entered, Ozpin pulling on a nearby chain and turning on the light. He let go of her arm, and rounded on her. "What are you doing here?"

"Well I-"

"How did you even find me? I didn't tell you where the party was."

"Oh believe me, it wasn't easy." She adjusted the wolf-themed hat on her head, pushing the snout up. "It took a while, but eventually I got the info from a janitor. He was really bummed out that he wasn't invited to the party too, but honestly I don't blame you guys for not inviting him. He smelled really weird and was kind of creepy and tried to offer me a cup of tea but I don't like tea so-"

"Okay stop, stop." He pinched at the bridge of his nose, his face a grimace. "First of all, don't talk to Steve." He let out a breath. "Second of all, do I even need to tell you how foolhardy it is for you to have come out here like this?"

"But I really needed to talk to you!"

"About what? What could possibly be so important that you couldn't text me or call me or just _wait_ until we saw each other again?" He started to pace in that small space. "Do you understand at all the risk you put me, yourself, and our relationship through? It's even worse that you were trying to seek _me_ out. Do you not realize how strange and suspicious that seems? Especially when I'm with friends and colleagues, have you forgotten that we need to keep up appearances?"

"That's easy for you to say," she said suddenly, glaring at him. "I bet everything's just peachy for you, nobody keeps bothering you about where you go at night, who you're seeing, or anything!"

"Bothering- wait." He halted. "'Who you're seeing...' Do your friends know something?"

She immediately looked down to the ground. "Look, when my tattoo first turned orange, I told my team immediately." He felt his heart stop. "So when they asked about it later, I couldn't just deny that I'd found my soulmate. Like 'whoops, false alarm, my tattoo went back to being brown!'" She looked up again. "But I didn't tell them who my soulmate is, and I won't let them look at my tattoo."

He rubbed at his temples, falling back to lean against the wall. "Ruby-"

"And you don't know how hard it is!" She began to gesture wildly with her arms. "To have to keep so many secrets from your closest friends all the time, from your own family! To have to lie so often and dodge so many questions! For them to not listen or trust you anymore! They say such awful things about you sometimes!"

She paused for a moment in her rant, and Clark could see tears forming in her eyes. "They call you a jerk and say you're weird and that you're embarrassed of me or that you don't treat me well or that you're taking advantage of me. And they never listen to me, no matter how much I try to defend you and say that you're really nice!" She sniffed. "And I just feel so alone and bottled up and I need your help because I don't know how much longer I can keep up 'appearances.'" She started crying, and bowed her head into her hands.

Clark could only stare, shocked. Then, he took a step towards her. Slowly, he moved his arms around her. She reciprocated, hugging him around the middle and crying into his chest. He hugged her very gently, feeling her shudder every time she drew breath. He waited until she started to quiet. "I'm sorry," he said softly. He had forgotten how young she was. He'd forgotten that she was still growing. He'd forgotten that despite how strong and energetic she was, she was still so small and fragile. "I didn't realize how much more difficult this all was for you."

His fingers traced lazy circles on her back. "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you." He felt her breathing start to even out. "You shouldn't have to defend me against your friends and sister. They have every right to be suspicious of me. All they know is that I'm just some strange man who's dating their team leader and sister, and making her keep secrets. Even if they knew who I was, they'd have every reason to hate and despise me."

"But it's just not fair," she blubbered.

"It doesn't have to be fair," he told her. "That's just the way it is. The way it needs to be." He could feel his tattoo on his arm, and could almost swear that he felt a tug between it and her respective tattoo. "I'd like for you...to come and talk to me, when you feel alone. When you need the support and encouragement and guidance. So that you don't feel the need to pull risky stunts like this." He felt her grip the back of his shirt. "I'm begging you, have courage. Please be strong, and just do your very best to keep this all a secret. Our relationship depends on it. I will help, in whatever ways I can, so we can get through all this together. But you must have courage. Please?" He leaned back, and reached under her jaw to tilt her head up.

Some tears were still leaking from her eyes to drift down her cheeks, but there was something in her expression. Something firm and fiery, like iron, like a furnace. She nodded. "Yeah." She hugged him again, finally done crying. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

"I was just... it got to me."

"It's perfectly understandable." He could feel his own fate being sealed as the next few words fell out of his mouth. "I'll be here for you, from now on. You won't have to feel alone in all this."

She let out a relieved little sigh. "Thank you."

He nodded. He tightened his hug for just a moment, then released her and stepped back. "Wait here, for a moment." He brushed her bangs back. "I'll walk you home."

She rubbed at her eye. "Okay."

He stepped past her, and exited the closet. He re-entered the apartment, back among the noise and people and music. He grabbed his coat off the hanger, using it to hide the tear stains on the front of his shirt. He found Glynda, still holding his glass of wine, though she'd moved to have a seat on the couch. He leaned over towards her, speaking in a low voice. "I'm very sorry, but something came up. Could you give Barrie my excuses?"

"Sure, but what happened?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed. "What call was it you had to make? Did something happen?"

"Nothing." He turned and started to go. "I'll see you at school Monday." He grabbed his cane as he exited. He retrieved Ruby from the utility closet, who had stood waiting patiently. As she moved past him out into the hall, he reached up, and turned out the light.


	8. Bits and Pieces

The trees were all gowned in reds and golds, and beginning to strip down to reveal their undercarriage. Hardly anything green was left to world as the chill in the air sucked it all out. Ruby's scroll jingled in her skirt pocket, and she took it out. A text from 'Bae' shared a pastel image of a cartoon kitten, with cutesy writing next to the kitten reading: Today's a great day, and so are you. Ruby snorted, putting her scroll away. He could be so corny.

Yang, who had been leaning to look over her shoulder, stood up straight, her arms folded behind her head. "Was that your boyfriend?" she asked. Team RWBY walked through the streets of town, all with shopping lists on hand.

"Sure was," she answered.

"So like, what's up between you two these days?"

She shrugged. "We had a talk, and he promised he would be more supportive."

She sighed. "Man, you know I want to like this guy, but it's hard when I don't know anything about him."

"Maybe someday I'll introduce you."

"He's not some sort of criminal, is he?" Weiss asked. "Like a gangster? Is that why he makes you keep him a secret?"

Ruby scoffed. "No, he's not a gangster, don't be silly."

"Is he older than you?" Blake suddenly asked.

Ruby's heart missed a beat. "What?"

"Your boyfriend. Is he older than you?"

There was a moment where all eyes were on her. "Not really?" she managed.

Yang narrowed her eyes. "How much is 'not really?'"

"Ruby," Weiss put her hand on the girl's shoulder, "the age of consent in Vale is 16. You're still just 15."

"Ew, Weiss, why do you know that?" Ruby whined, shrugging out of her grasp.

"Don't change the subject."

"I'm not going to ask you again, Ruby," Yang insisted. "How old is ' _not really?_ '"

"Guys calm down," Ruby entreated, raising her hands defensively. "He's only a couple of years older than me. And besides, he's a complete gentleman. He'd never do anything to hurt me."

"Or pleasure you?" Weiss pressed.

"Oh my god." She hid her face in her hands.

"So when you say he's a couple years older than you, how much is 'a couple?'" Yang questioned.

"Ruby," Blake spoke, "you should understand that just because two people are soulmates doesn't mean that they're good for each other. There are cases where soulmates are abusive, and have even killed their partners. You really need to be careful."

"I just said he isn't like that," Ruby groaned. She took a deep breath. "Look, let's just drop the subject, okay? We didn't come out here to discuss my romantic life, we came out here to get some shopping done, so let's just focus on that." She quickened her pace to walk ahead of them, and they finally went silent.

Their errands took them all over town, visiting food markets and clothing stores and dust shops and office supply stores and bookstores. While Weiss and Blake visited the fabric store across the street, Ruby and Yang entered the tinker shop. Ruby walked down the aisles, eyes scanning the shelves. Every so often she would pause and select a few cogs or sheets of metal, and place them in her basket.

"Can I try and guess who your boyfriend is?" Yang asked.

"I'd rather you didn't," Ruby replied. She picked up a bottle of red paint, and a small mirror.

Yang sighed. "So what's all this stuff for? You gonna make some modifications on Crescent Rose?"

"Nope." She smiled. "I'm gonna use these to make a Natiuiteo present for my boyfriend."

She scoffed, and leaned against the corner of a shelf. "What if you two break up before Natiuiteo rolls around?"

Ruby's hand hesitated for a moment over a small pack of springs, then picked them up anyways. "If that happens, I'll just give it to someone else." She tossed her head, moving some bangs out of her line of sight. "But I doubt that'll happen."

After paying for the items and regrouping outside, the team's errands took them further still through town, till they were reaching the outskirts. On those outskirts they gave pause, watching the commotion in the distance. A good portion of land was roped off, with construction equipment and workers littered all over. Great metal structures were going up, trenches being dug, and wooden skeletons of buildings being placed.

They gathered along the ropes. "Looks like they're already setting up for the Autumn Carnival," Weiss commented.

"Sure does," Yang agreed. "I heard a rumor that there was gonna be bear wrestling this year."

Blake frowned. "They're going to make bears wrestle for entertainment?"

"No no, _you_ get to wrestle the _bear_." She gestured for emphasis.

"Ah." Her bow twitched. "I heard that they're stepping up security this year."

"That's not a bad idea," Weiss said. "I heard this year, they hired engineers all the way from Atlas, to make the biggest, most fantastic observation wheel we've ever had."

"Hm," Ruby said to herself, thoughtful. She looked up to the imagined space that the ferris wheel would occupy when it was complete. She imagined the colorful tents and carnival games, and the brisk chill of the season when the time for the carnival came. She imagined sharing a car in the ferris wheel with Clark, and at the very top, with the world glittering below and only the stars to see, they would share a kiss. She giggled, and held her face in her hands, while the others looked at her in surprise.


	9. Sand

She blew on her hands, rubbing them together as she walked. Gathered in the corners of car windows, a light frost glittered and melted in the sunlight. Ruby tugged on her hood. It was through one of the quieter districts of the town she walked. Lots of nice apartments where the inhabitants had little gardens hanging outside of their windows and from their balconies. The buildings were so close here, there was barely room for a cat to squeeze through the alleyways. They were all painted in varying pastel shades.

Tucked away, between and beneath some apartments, was a small diner with a calligraphic sign above it. Sitting on a bench in front of the diner, waiting, was Ozpin. "Good morning," she greeted.

He smiled. "Good morning Ruby." He stood up. "Hungry?"

"Starving." They entered the diner. Green and pink tiles reflected the lights dangling from the ceiling. A couple of other customers ate at some booths, but the place was largely empty. The beauty of coming in after the breakfast-rush, but before the lunch-rush. They went and sat at the counter.

A waitress placed a couple of menus in front of them. "I heard about this place from a friend of mine," Ozpin told her. "I thought we could give it a try."

"It's certainly nice." She swung her legs underneath her. "I like how they have a tv." She pointed to it in the upper corner.

He glanced at it. "Indeed."

"Can I get you anything to drink?" the waitress asked.

"Uh, milk," Ruby said, glancing at the menu.

"Hot chocolate," Ozpin requested.

"You guys ready to order?" the waitress asked as she wrote their drinks down.

"Eggs benedict," Ozpin said, putting his menu down.

"And I'll have waffles," Ruby told her. The waitress took their menus and left with their order. "Have you seen that they've already started setting up for the Autumn Carnival this year?"

"I heard about it."

"I was thinking you and I should probably go check it out, once they got it all ready."

"Alright." The waitress returned with their drinks, setting them down in front of the two.

Ruby looked up at the tv as rock and roll started to play from it. "Oh, that looks cool!" She shook him by the shoulder, her eyes glued to the screen. A trailer for a movie played, in which a man wearing sunglasses dodged gunfire and blew up a building. "We should see that when it comes out."

He gave a strained smile. "If you like."

She caught it. "What? You don't like action movies?"

"My day-to-day life is plenty exciting for me." He shifted in his seat.

"Well sure, but they're still fun to watch." She mimed boxing. "Just seeing the good guys take on the bad guys, dishing out justice with a good one-two!"

"By blowing up a building?"

Her shoulders slouched. "Well I mean, it's just a movie."

He chuckled without opening his mouth. "I envy you."

"You do?"

He nodded, his eyes looking beyond, beyond where they were. "I envy your rose-tinted vision."

"Oh c'mon, there are heroes in real life like in the action movies. Right?"

He closed his eyes, and propped his chin up against his hand, that easy yet detached smile still on his face. "I couldn't say." He opened his eyes again, and his smile faded a little. "You're lucky, to have been born after the war."

She stilled, legs no longer swinging, feet dangling.

"Here you are, let me know if I can get you anything else," the waitress told them, placing their meals in front of them.

Clark retrieved his napkin, folding it and placing it in his lap. He began to dine, though Ruby hadn't yet touched her food. "It won't stay warm forever," he informed her.

She picked up her fork. "Do you... wanna talk about it?"

"No."

She looked away to her food. She pushed the strawberry off the waffle with her fork, the whipped cream melting and pooling. _I'd never even thought about that._ He'd grown up in a completely different world from her. They were always going on about how Ruby's generation got to live in exceptional peace. "I'm sorry."

His eyes flicked over to her, a bit of ham hanging from his fork. "For what?"

She cut out a bite of her food. "I wish I had more experience, or something. I've just realized how little I understand you."

A gentle smile formed on his face, and he reached up and patted her on the head, ruffling her hair a little. "I'm glad you don't have that experience." He ate the ham on his fork. "We may never see eye to eye on things, but that's not a bad thing. If anything, it makes things more interesting. So I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you." Clark sawed into his biscuit. "You're fine just the way you are."

The corner of her mouth turned up, then fell again as she looked away. For once, his barrier had fallen, but it seemed that there were still miles between them. A river, rushing and merciless. And Ruby didn't have a boat.


	10. Dreaming by Night, Wishing by Day

Ozpin sipped at his hot chocolate while he held the ladder steady. "Thanks again for your help, Professor," Glynda said from the top, books stacked on her arm as she put them away.

"Not at all. We really need to replace the wheels on some of these," he said. He tapped the wheel on the bottom of the ladder back onto the track with his foot.

"Speaking of replacements, I heard that you dismissed Steve a little while ago. Why?"

"He violated his parole."

"Oh dear." She wobbled a little while handling a particularly heavy book, and grabbed the shelf for support. "I hope nothing happened?"

"Oh no. Nipped it in the bud."

"That's good. And that reminds me." She kicked the side of the ladder, and he pulled it further down the bookcase. "I don't know if you've heard any of the rumors that have been going around lately?"

"No?" He went to take another sip of his drink.

"There's been a rumor that Ruby Rose has some secret gangster boyfriend." He choked, spitting out his hot chocolate. He doubled over to avoid it dribbling onto his clothes, his fingers stinging where it overflowed and touched them. "I know, I was shocked when I first heard it too."

"What, where did you hear these rumors?" he asked once he pulled himself together.

"Apparently some students overheard Ruby's teammates talking about it, and it's just blown up all over the school." She climbed down a few rungs. "Most seem to say that her boyfriend's a criminal, an old man." She leaned towards him, whispering, "Professor, you don't suppose her boyfriend's Roman Torchwick, do you?"

"I highly doubt that." He retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and began to clean himself up.

"Either way, it's troubling to think that she's involving herself with someone like that, if the rumors are true."

"I don't think it does well for us to participate in idle gossip, Glynda."

"If you ask me, she's too young to be dating at all." She gave a haughty sniff. She placed the last few books on the shelves, then climbed down. "Professor, I think you should have a talk with her."

"I should...a, a talk with her?" He fumbled with putting his handkerchief away.

"She trusts you, she listens to what you have to say." She began to pace in front of him. "You need to sit her down, and have a talk with her about the dangers of dating older men. Even if the rumors are false, she's getting to be that age where she should start worrying about these things."

"Actually Glynda, I think _you_ should be the one to speak with her about all this."

She paused and looked at him. "Do you really think so?"

He nodded. "You clearly know more about all this than me. Don't forget, Ruby values your input as well as mine."

"Hm." She looked away, seeming to consider it. "Perhaps I should."

"Wonderful." He patted her on the shoulder as he walked by. "Now if you'll excuse me, there is something in my office that needs my attention."

"Of course, Professor. See you later."

He waited until he was out of sight of her before pulling out his scroll and texting Ruby: _If possible, I'd like for you to meet with me this afternoon for drinks. There is something we need to discuss._

* * *

After class, Ruby made her way through the school to Ozpin's office. Entering, she found Ozpin standing in front of the large window, looking out upon the school and the world below. He turned at the sound. "Ah, there you are."

"Kept you waiting, huh?" She brushed her bangs back.

"Not at all. Follow me, if you please." He walked over to a side door, and opened it. She followed him inside. She looked with wide eyes as they climbed a spiral staircase, the middle of the room filled with massive cogs and pulleys and moving parts. She leaned over a little to look down, and saw that the machinery reached all the way down to the ground floor. At the top of the staircase was a small landing with another door. Ozpin opened this door as well, and stood aside to allow her through.

"Wow," she breathed, turning as she stepped in. It was a spacious room, simple in décor, with some potted plants and muted abstract paintings. She could see a couch and a chair arranged around a coffee table, and a large tv hanging from the wall in front of the couch. The entire den area was sunk on a lower level than the rest of the wood floor. Behind the den was the kitchen, an island separating it from the rest of the apartment, bar stools lined up alongside the counter. All the way across from the entrance, large sliding glass doors lead out onto a balcony. To the left, a door, and some more stairs.

"I hope you like hot chocolate." He walked past her to the kitchen, and retrieved the kettle from where it sat patiently simmering. He poured the hot water into a waiting mug with powder in it, and stirred the mixture with a cinnamon stick.

He handed her her drink. "Do you ever shake things up a bit by drinking tea?" She held the large mug in both hands, warming her fingers.

"If I'm feeling wild and crazy," he replied. He walked out to the glass doors, and stepped onto the balcony. There more potted plants placed near the railing. A couple of wicker chairs sat on either side of a small glass stand. He sat in one, and she sat in the other.

"Wow, what a view." It was as if all the world lay before them, the people mere insignificant specks across a patchwork canvas of buildings and nature, bordered by blue sea and blue sky, clouds drifting. Arctic winds buffeted them, wondering what they were doing so high up, and Ruby took an appreciative sip of the cocoa.

"How are you, Ruby?"

"Fine, thanks. You?"

"I'm well. How's school? Have you been keeping up with your homework?"

"Of course. School's fine."

"That's good to hear. I know the teachers sometimes complain that you don't pay attention in class."

She scoffed. "I do better when I teach myself. It's not like I cause any trouble in class."

"Still, it would be polite of you to at least pretend that you're paying attention." She rolled her eyes. He decided to probe further. "How are your classmates?"

"They're...fine? I guess?" She shrugged. "I mean, I don't know what you want me to say. It's not like I asked any of them recently how they've been, how their parents are doing, whether or not Mr Mittens got his fleas treated or whatever-"

"I mean," he interrupted, "have they at all been acting...strange? Around you?"

She quirked an eyebrow. "Strange?" He nodded, and took a sip. She sat back, resting one elbow on the armrest, arm splaying out so that her hand lay on the glass stand. "Strange... I guess, lately, they _have_ been acting a little weird. I never noticed it before, but it seems like everybody's whispering these days. But they always stop whenever I show up. And sometimes people look at me funny. But I don't really know why." She peered sideways up at him. "You know something about all this, don't you?"

He nodded, his face somber. "I'm very sorry." She gave him a questioning look. "It would seem that some rumors have begun to spread about you. Apparently many of the students believe you are secretly dating an older man, a gangster."

"What?" She looked down, her eyes searching. "But, how-" She looked up again, eyebrows drawn down. "Yang. Weiss. Blake. They're the only ones I ever told anything to. I can't believe they blabbed!" Her hand started to curl into a fist, when Clark slipped his fingers in, and held her hand. She squeezed his hand, bones flexing under the skin. He moved his thumb in little circles on the back of her hand, and watched as some of the tension left her shoulders. She settled back into her chair, frowning. "Well that explains a lot."

"I hope you haven't been seriously mistreated by any of the students?"

She shook her head. "No, everyone's still been pretty nice, to my face at least. Except Cardin and his gang, but they're dumb and bully everyone, so he doesn't count." She took a swig of her drink.

"What did he do?"

She shrugged. "They're just dumb. They make weird noises at me, and act like monkeys sometimes. Cardin once even tried to ask me out as a joke."

"I see." He sipped his coffee, looking out ahead. _This is all my fault._ "Do the teachers correct them?"

"When they catch them doing it."

He nodded. "I'm sorry that you've been having to go through all that."

"It's not such a big deal." She took a bite out of her cinnamon stick. "I'm just glad that now I know why everybody's been acting that why. It really bugged me before, when I couldn't figure it out."

He gave her hand a little squeeze before resuming his thumb's circular motions. "Ms Glynda intends to speak with you about the rumors."

"Oh yeah?"

"She will have a talk with you, to warn you about the dangers of dating older men." Ruby gave a loud, drawn-out groan, slumping over in her seat without spilling her drink. "I would like for you to listen carefully to the things she has to say."

"Uuugghhh, as if I don't get lectured enough by my teammates."

"Glynda is much more knowledgeable and experienced than your teammates." He leaned forward, trying to peer into her face. "Please, maybe she can even convince you to put an end to all this." And then the rumors could stop, and she wouldn't be bullied anymore, and she could be happy.

She sat bolt upright, fury in her eyes. "Are you kidding me?!" Clark leaned away from her a little, startled. "You're still on about that? I thought we were done with you trying to convince me to break up with you. In fact," she sat up a little straighter, narrowing her eyes at him, "if this all bothers you so much, why don't _you_ break up with me?"

His eyes widened a fraction, and he looked away. But she felt his hand grow tight around her own. She looked down at it, then back up to his face as he sipped his cocoa, then back down to their hands. She set her drink down. Gently, she took a hold of his sleeve and pushed the fabric up. He looked over at the movement, his eyes flicking between her and what she was doing. She turned his arm over so she could see his tattoo, her name glittering and sparkling in the sunlight.

Something clicked in her mind, and she held his hand close, her fingers caressing his tattoo. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Do you... believe in true love too? That we have a chance?"

A faint pink crept into his cheeks, and he looked away again, but he couldn't fool her.

Ruby beamed, and sprang forward, hugging him. "You big softie!" She giggled, nuzzling her face under his chin, smelling peppermint. It seemed that the river was merely a stream after all, the two of them within arm's reach of each other. At first, he sat very still, his glasses disheveled. Then, slowly, she felt his arm move, and rest very carefully across her back. A feather-light hug in return, and her heart soared.


	11. One, Two, Three

She worked in front of the mirror, brushing her hair. She smiled at her reflection, and even grabbed her sister's small bottle of perfume, spritzing some on her neck. "You look nice," Yang commented from the bed. "Where's he taking you?"

Ruby's smile slipped away, and she pursed her lips. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she replied, and strode for the door.

Yang looked up at that, her brows furrowed. "Uh, yeah, I _would_ like to-"

"I'll be back later. Don't wait up." The door closed behind her with a click.

Yang sat up, and exchanged a look with Weiss. "She's never talked to me like that."

"I'm sure it doesn't mean anything," Weiss comforted. "Even I fight with my sister sometimes." Yang simply narrowed her eyes at the door.

Ruby moved stealthily across the school, careful to avoid being seen. Shadows danced across her as she moved through them. She passed through Ozpin's office and tip-toed up the stairs, jumping when one of the moving parts in the machinery clanged loudly against each other. At his door, she caught her breath, adjusted her cape, and knocked.

He opened the door, and she greeted him with a smile. "Hey. May I come in?"

He smiled in returned, and stepped aside to let her through. "Sure, though you're a bit early."

"That's fine." She folded her hands behind her back, once again admiring the look of the place.

He closed the door behind her. "You know, you didn't have to dress up. It's just dinner-and-a-movie."

"Yeah but I felt like dressing up a little. Feel fancy." She sat at the island counter.

"You'll have to wait a couple minutes. It needs time to set." He walked past her into the kitchen.

"That's fine." She drummed her hands against the granite. "What'd you make?"

He went to a baking dish that rested on the stove, and lifted back the foil a little to let her have a peek. Steam billowed out, and Ruby breathed in deeply through her nose, smiling at the smell. "Casserole."

"What kind?"

He shrugged, replacing the foil. "It's my own recipe. It's a little different every time, so I can't guarantee the taste."

"I'm sure it's delicious."

"Can I get you anything to drink?" He retrieved a couple of glasses from the cupboard.

"Water is fine." He nodded and retrieved a pitcher from the fridge. Her glass fogged as it filled with the cold liquid, and he handed it over to her. She sipped as he returned the pitcher to its place, and then opened up another cupboard to grab a bottle. "What's that?"

"Peppermint schnapps." He poured himself a shot's worth.

"Is it good?"

"In its own way." Clark held his glass out to her, smiling. "A toast."

"To us." Ruby held out her own glass, the drinks sloshing as they clinked together.

"To us." They drank.

Ruby watched the light move through the clear liquid. She waited until he set his glass down. "Can I have some of that?"

"Nope."

"Aw c'mon, just a little!"

"Absolutely not. I'm not about to give a minor alcohol."

"I'm practically an adult. And in some places, they let you drink at 16."

"And you're 15."

"If this was the dark ages, I'd already be married by now." She sat up straight, arms crossed.

"Thank goodness it's not the dark ages."

She groaned, slouching all over the counter. "Come oooonnnnn." She tried pleading to him with her eyes. "Just a sip."

He sighed, shaking his head. "You won't like it."

She sat bolt upright. "How do I know unless I try?"

He rolled his eyes, then passed his glass over to her. "Just a sip."

She smiled appreciatively, and tilted the glass towards herself, her tongue flicking out. Her eyes suddenly widened, and she immediately gave the glass back. "Aaah!" she cried out, fanning her mouth.

Clark laughed. "I warned you."

"It burns! Why does it burn?!"

"Because it's liquor."

She spat and gulped down her water. "It tastes awful!"

"Yeah." He looked down at his drink as he swirled it in the glass, and threw back another mouthful. "It tastes better if you mix it with something. Like cocoa. But sometimes I think it's nice to have plain."

She shook her head, running her fingers over her tongue. "That doesn't make any sense at all. Being an adult makes no sense."

He chuckled. "Here, I know how to get that taste out of your mouth." He turned and completely removed the foil over the casserole. He served them both, setting her bowl in front of her. "Let me know what you think."

She picked up the spoon, and carefully took a bite. Her eyes lit up. "It's good!" she said, her food pushed to one side in her cheek.

He smiled. "I'm glad." They dined, Clark having dragged one of the stools to his side of the island. They chatted over the food, each with stories and thoughts to share. Ruby eventually took off her cape, letting it drape over the back of her stool. They both proved to be hearty eaters, Clark having seconds, while Ruby managed to tuck away thirds. When she requested dessert while Clark put away the leftovers, she found to her delight that there was a small carton of harlequin ice cream in the freezer, that he had acquired for the occasion. She had a small bowl as Clark stowed their dishes in the washer, and refilled his glass of schnapps.

He stepped out of the kitchen, heading for the den. "I already have a movie selected."

She turned in her seat to watch him, strawberry and vanilla resting on her spoon. "I'd be disappointed if you hadn't planned everything out for tonight." He smirked at that, and set up the movie to be played. Soon a title screen was displayed on the tv, sweet songs floating from the speakers. "'The King's Music'?" she read.

"It's an older movie," he admitted. "But it still holds up, I assure you."

"I believe it. Age doesn't discount quality, as you prove." A pink tinge came into his cheeks, but she didn't see. He took a seat on the couch, and soon Ruby came and sat down next to him, bringing her ice cream with her. "Do you mind?" She gestured at the dessert.

"So long as you don't make a mess. Though I don't want you to make a habit of eating in the den."

"You got it." She settled herself into her seat, tucking her legs up underneath her. Clark hit the play button on the remote. It didn't take long for Ruby to become engrossed in the movie's plot. She set the soon empty bowl on the coffee table, then sat back, leaning against Clark ever so slightly. There soon came to be a scene where the leading male and female were at a party while something like a waltz played. As the two joined hands, Ruby sat up, tilting her head at the screen.

"What's up?"

She grinned, and stood. "I want to dance. Like them." She pointed at the characters on screen.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Right now?"

"Yes." She grabbed his hands and yanked him to his feet. She lead him to a clear space in the room, then attempted to place his hands like the character on tv had placed his. Though he promptly moved his hand higher up her back than she had placed it. She placed her owns hands in a similar fashion to the female lead. She kept twisted her head around, watching the characters and trying to mimic their movements, dragging him around with her. "This is a lot harder than it looks."

"It's because you're too focused on the movements and not on the music." Clark smiled, and they stopped for a moment. He took her by the shoulders, and adjusted her stance. He then took her hand. "Now, just follow my lead. All you have to do is keep in time with the rhythm." He moved, and she took a second to move with him. "One two three, one two three, one two three." They moved slow to start with, Ruby watching her feet, trying not to step on his foot. "You won't trip."

She looked up.

She could see the surrounding lights sparkling in his dark eyes. "You're far too clever for that."

She smiled, and felt the tension and awkwardness leave her limbs. His mantra of "one two three" echoed in her ears as they began to move in sync. Faster and faster, moving all around the space, their shadows and reflections captured in the nearby glass doors. The music flowed around and through them, guiding and watching over them. It seemed that all the world was a whirl to Ruby. All she could see was Clark's smiling face, just as all he could see were her sparkling silver eyes and flushed smile.

Then, perhaps too soon, the song came to its close, and they were forced to stop. One final turn took them back to the couch, where they promptly plopped down on it. They sat next to each other, holding hands and giggling, trying to catch their breath. "I feel like I'm 16 again," Clark said.

"Young at heart," Ruby agreed, scooting up closer to him. They turned their attention back to the characters, as the female lead now suddenly fled from the male, her face in her hands as the male lead looked sullen. On the movie went, pausing for an intermission. The minutes ticked by, the hour growing late, and Ruby could feel the exhaustion of her muscles. Outside the glass doors, a star-filled autumn night stretched on and on. Her eyes felt dry and tired, and she supposed to close them for just a moment or two, to rejuvenate them.

He felt her rest all her weight against him, head pressed against his shoulder. He looked down, and saw that her eyes were shut, her chest rising and falling at an even pace. _She's asleep_ , he realized. She looked so peaceful when she slept. For a moment, he considered waking her. It simply wasn't polite to allow a young lady to fall asleep at a man's apartment, especially when that man was her significant other. Oh, but with her head so close, he could smell the cherry shampoo off her hair. And a floral perfume. And it was awfully late, especially for a young lady like her.

In the end, he simply grabbed the nearby throw-blanket, and pulled it up over her. He settled in his seat, letting her sleep where she lay. He watched the movie to its completion, his own eyes growing tired by the time the lead couple shared their triumphant embrace. As the credits rolled, Clark sat up, moving and waking Ruby. She blinked sleepily, looking around. "Hey," he greeted, his voice soft.

She turned her gaze on him, and gave him a sleepy little smile. "Hey," she yawned.

"It's late. You better head back to your dorm."

She nodded, pushing herself upright. "What happened at the end?"

"Constance and Robin resolved their misunderstanding, and lived happily ever after."

She rubbed at her eye. "That's good."

He stood, and she followed. He collected her cape from the back of the stool, and handed it to her. "Thank you for this evening, Ruby."

With a slight flourish she fastened her cape around her shoulders. "No, thank _you_." He escorted her to the door. "Tonight was wonderful."

"Sleep well, Ruby." He held the door open for her.

She took a step towards it, then paused and looked back up at him. He looked at her questioningly, about to ask, when before he could, she managed to lean up and kiss him on the cheek. "Good night, Clark. Sweet dreams," she bid, her smile small and coy. She walked through the door, beginning her descent down the stairs.

"Yes, you too." He watched her go, waiting until she was out of sight before closing the door. Despite the lights, it seemed that long dark shadows gathered in every corner of the room. He cleared away the dregs of their get-together. He turned the lights off, the world briefly turning to pitch before his eyes adjusted. There was only a sliver of moon that night, so that even its light abandoned him that night. He climbed the stairs to his room, getting ready for bed in a matter of minutes.

He just moved the covers out of the way before falling over onto his mattress. He was so tired. But then, curiously, he found he couldn't get comfortable. The pillows wouldn't support his head properly, either being too soft, or too stiff in the wrong places. He tried flipping them over and switching them around, but nothing helped. And it seemed that his sheets kept getting tangled around him, so that he had to keep adjusting them. And his toes felt cold, no matter how he tried to huddle within himself to try and get warm.

He rolled over onto his back, and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had a headache. And then a piercing flash went through his mind, and he opened his eyes for a moment, remembering. How beautiful she looked in that dress, her dark, bi-colored hair shining in the light. He squeezed his eyes shut, and rolled over onto his side. _Stop it._ The tinkle of her laugh. Her smiling pink lips. He rolled over onto his other side. _Don't._ Her rosy cheeks. Her pretty, glittering silver eyes. He lied on his stomach. _You can't._

Her soft hands, encased in his, fingers entwining. The breathless excitement on her face, his hand pressed against her back, holding her close. He pressed his face into his pillow, wishing he could suffocate himself. The rise and fall of her chest, both when she was exhausted and when she was resting. The smell of her cherry shampoo, her lavender perfume. The feel of her kiss upon his cheek. He looked up at the wall, hugging the pillow close. If he closed his eyes, he could see the crimson swirl of her cape, her magnificence emphasized in her careless grace.

He felt so very, very, sick.


	12. Seasons

Lights of every color were strung from pole to pole, criss-crossing and intermingling. Striped and solid colored tents formed blocks, heavenly smells floating from many of them. A boy groaned as he missed the pole in a ring-tossing game. A child whined to their parent for a balloon. An elderly couple shared a spool of cotton candy. The ticket booth was crowded as everyone tried to secure a night's worth of fun for themselves. Eventually two people managed to escape from the crowd, the girl pausing for a moment as someone stepped on her cape.

Ozpin and Ruby looked to each other and shared a small smile. They walked together down the aisles of the Autumn Carnival. "I swear, the carnival just gets bigger every year," Ruby remarked.

"It certainly seems to attract more tourists every year," Ozpin agreed.

"Well, at least with them comes more things to do." She folded her hands behind her head. "Speaking of, what do you wanna do first?"

He shrugged, and nodded to some of the booths. "Any of those seem interesting to you?"

She pursed her lips, then went to one of them. "Let's play this game." She pointed at some people as they played a rifle game, trying to shoot their prizes off the shelves.

"Of course." _How typical of her._ But he smiled all the same as she got in line.

Soon she took an empty spot, eagerly holding the pellet gun in hand. When given the cue, she narrowed her eyes down the sight, and began to fire. But after four shots, only a small figurine of a tiger had been knocked off.

"You wield a 10-foot long semi-automatic sniper rifle in live combat, yet you can't aim better than that?"

"Hey, I'm not used to this gun." She waved at it, pocketing the figurine. "Besides, I'm usually just using the kickback from Crescent Rose to move around. I don't actually look where I'm aiming."

"What are we teaching you in my school?"

"Well if you're so great, why don't you try it." She put her hands on her hips, squaring her shoulders.

He gave her an even look. "Alright." He took her place at the counter.

"Bet you can't hit anything better than me, old man!" She stood back, folding her arms across her chest.

He turned back around, pointing his rifle behind him. Clark smiled, and pulled the trigger. The pellet hit a post and ricocheted, striking a metal disc that hung from the roof of the booth as decoration, and struck a teddy bear on the top shelf, knocking it down. The kind of prize that took three or four shots to knock over, he did in one. Ruby's jaw fell, and the owner of the booth clapped. Ozpin adjusted his glasses, and set the rifle back down.

"Uh, sir? You still have three shots left. You can earn more prizes," the booth owner told him.

"Just the bear is fine," he replied, and received it from the owner. He then went to Ruby, and held the bear out to her. "You can have it."

She gingerly took it in her hands. "Thank you." The tiger figurine felt heavy in her pocket. But he only looked at her with kind eyes, and turned and lead the way further into the carnival. She followed him, hugging the bear close. She watched his back, the way his white hair glittered and reflected all the different lights. A nearby vendor caught her eye, and she went over to them.

He glanced behind him, and saw that Ruby was no longer there. He stopped, looking back into the crowd, eyes searching for her red cape. "Ruby?" he asked.

"Right here," she greeted to his left.

"Oh there you are." He turned, and saw that she'd tucked the bear under her arm. In her hands she held two caramel apples, and held one out to him. "Thank you." He took it.

"The guy was making them fresh." She took a bite out of hers, nuts crunching and steam rising from the caramel. They walked side by side, observing and commenting and eating their apples. But about halfway through her apple, she saw something that made her nearly drop it. "Oh my god."

"What?" He looked to her curiously.

She grabbed him by the arm. "We gotta hide!" She dove for the nearby picnic area, dragging him under a table with her.

"Ouch!" He clutched at his head as it bumped against a crossbar.

" _Sh!_ " She held a finger to her lips, her eyes wide.

"Why are we hiding?" But she wasn't looking at him anymore, she was looking out at something from under the table. He turned and looked too, and felt his heart miss a beat. There, walking among the crowd, were Yang, Weiss, and Blake. Ruby's teammates.

"What are they doing here?!" she hissed to herself. "They didn't say anything about going to the carnival."

Suddenly Weiss trudged her feet to a stop, and Ruby and Ozpin instinctively ducked their heads lower beneath the table. "Yang, we've been here forever," she whined. The others paused, Blake standing a bit closer to her, and Yang standing before both of them, her hands on her hips. "There's just too many people, we'll never find her."

"Oh c'mon Weiss, the carnival isn't _that_ big," Yang replied.

"But my feet hurt."

"What makes you so sure that Ruby is even here?" Blake asked. Ozpin glanced over to his soulmate. She sucked in a small breath, her expression seeming to freeze in place.

"Because Ruby loves the Autumn Carnival. She begged Dad to the point of tears every year to take her, and he always gave in and took us both," Yang explained, tossing her hair. "So of course, she's gotta be here. And I'm willing to bet anything that she dragged her secret boyfriend with her this year too." Ozpin felt his throat go dry.

"I don't know how I feel about stalking them..." Weiss mumbled.

"It's not stalking," Yang argued. "It's a carnival," she gestured around her, holding her hands up, "it's perfectly natural for everyone, including us, to be here to have some fun. We'll just _happen_ to bump into her and her boyfriend, and then we'll finally know who the guy is." She turned her back on them. "I don't care how nice she says he is, something just doesn't feel right about all this." She straightened up. "If nothing else, it'll put my mind at ease to have met the guy, at least once." She waved for the other two to follow her. "So, we're gonna stay, and keep looking until we find Ruby." She walked ahead.

The two girls followed. "At this rate, we'll be searching all night," Weiss grumbled to Blake as they passed Ruby and Ozpin's picnic table.

He looked to her again. "...Ruby?" he whispered. She didn't answer. She took shallow breaths, her hands curled into fists.

"So, she's spying on me, is that it?" she mumbled, mostly to herself. "Like it wasn't bad enough that she blabbed to the whole school about my personal life."

He touched her on the shoulder, and she finally looked at him. "Do you want to go home?"

She thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No. You know what? I'm not gonna let her ruin this for us." She set her bear down and handed Ozpin her caramel apple. She took off her cloak, bundled it up, and stuffed it in her bag. "It'll be harder for her to spot me without my cape, the nosy twit."

"Ruby I don't think this is a good idea." She took her bear and apple back from him.

She had a huge bite, filling her mouth with the treat. "It'll be fine." Her mind was already working through the various details. "We can just avoid them by going on the rides and stuff. That way she won't see us. C'mon." She crawled back out from beneath the table, and Ozpin had no choice but to follow her.

The rest of the night seemed to be an exercise in attempting to rip his arm off. They kept off the beaten path as Ruby dragged him from point to point in the carnival. It had never really occurred to him before, but there really were a large number of rides centered around spinning, and he was beginning to regret the caramel apple. Ruby always checked around each corner, moving forward or holding back depending on how clear the coast was. At one point she tried to go in the mirror maze, but Ozpin dug his heels in on that one.

There was a close call as they waited in line for the small roller coaster, the wait being lengthier than the other rides. WBY walked nearby, and Ruby and Ozpin tried to duck behind an old man in an attempt to hide. But they were ultimately saved as the trio mistakenly approached another girl wearing a red hoodie, and the line kept moving.

But then they found themselves facing a wide open space, with the ferris wheel on the other side, and Ruby being unable to confirm whether or not Yang and the others were close. She looked to Ozpin, and nodded, squeezing his hand. He took a deep breath, and braced himself. They both then ran out from behind their cover(a stack of barrels), intending to jump in line for the ferris wheel before the wait got too long.

In the middle of the open area was a particularly thick cluster of people. Though it was doubtful, she just had to check. Of course she ended up not being there, and she dejectedly looked down at her feet as she tried to push her way back out of the cluster. Just as she was nearly out, two people ran right in front of her. She looked, eyes trying to follow where they went, but they were already gone in the crowd again. Weiss and Blake escaped the cluster, and stood ahead of her.

"What's up?" Weiss asked.

Yang didn't answer immediately, looking after where those two shadows of people had vanished. "I thought I just... Never mind." She shook her head to clear it, and walked forward, moving past the ferris wheel. "She's gotta be here somewhere...let's double-check the sundae stand."

Ruby and Ozpin sat in the car on the ferris wheel, both of them trying to catch their breath. The teddy bear sat between them. The operator closed the door on them, and the noises of the carnival shrank in the enclosed little space. Ruby tugged on her scarf, loosening it, and soon the wheel jerked back into action, the car swinging temporarily as they moved.

Ozpin was silent for a moment, watching her. Though she hid it under a hefty layer of enthusiasm, he knew that she'd been having as little fun as him since they'd discovered Yang's presence. "She's just trying to protect you," he told her quietly.

Her eyes flashed at him, then looked away back out the window. "I can protect myself. I'm sick and tired of everyone else trying to take care of me, like I'm some dumb little kid. I don't need them breathing down my neck all the time." She crossed her arms and legs, leaning away from him and slouching in her seat.

"She's right to be concerned for you. To her, I'm just a stranger, and a potentially dangerous one at that." She didn't respond to that, still glaring at the world below. "She's your sister. Of course she wants to do everything within her power to protect you."

" _Half_ -sister," she grumbled.

He frowned. "She's still the only sister you have. You only get one family, and you need to treasure them while they're still around."

"Yeah? You thick as thieves with your family?" she shot back, finally looking at him.

His eyes turned wistful, and he looked down at the floor of the car. "I haven't seen my family in a very long time."

"...Kind of hypocritical of you, don't y-"

"It's not by choice," he snapped. He turned his own gaze out the window, but he shut his eyes and pinched at the bridge of his nose. Beside him, Ruby studied him.

She sat up, uncrossing her legs. "I'm sorry." He simply waved a hand at her, not even opening his eyes. She looked down at the teddy bear. Its dark glass eyes reflected her, though the image was a bit warped on the round surface. "It's not like I hate her. How could I? She's smart and strong and brave, and she's always been there for me. She's my sister." She looked up, and her eyes met his as he'd turned his attention back on her. "My whole family's so important to me; Dad, Yang, Uncle Qrow. It'd break my heart to lose any of them" She looked back down, her arms uncrossing, and her eyes rested on her hands. "Just like how it broke when Mom didn't come back home."

She sat back, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "But Yang..." she continued. "I know she means well, but there's been a lot of times where she doesn't act like a sister towards me. Where she gets bossy and protective and nosy." Her eyes followed the little lines and etchings in her palms. "I think she likes to try and make it up to me, for Mom being dead. Tries to act like Mom in her place, and raise me." The ferris wheel paused, their car swinging briefly at the top.

Ruby looked back out the window at the ant-like people, the many-colored lights merging into a rainbow. "But she'll never replace Mom. No one can, and I'm okay with that," she said. The music and laughter and festivities were lost to them from that high, only the wind swirling and moaning around their car. "I don't _need_ a mom. I need a friend."

Clark had been listening intently the whole time, watching her face carefully. But he had nothing to say to that. Sitting there, with the lights of the carnival illuminating her from below, she'd never looked so poignant. He could only guess too well at all the things she was feeling.

He leaned towards her, raising an arm. It hesitated for just a moment before wrapping around her shoulders and pulling her towards him. Stiff for just a moment, she turned and melted, wrapping her arms around his torso and nestling her head in the crook of his neck. He held her close, one hand tangling into her hair while the other rested on her back. The teddy bear was squished between them as they simply sat there, hugging against the cold. Something white floated past the window of the car, and he looked up. She felt the movement, and looked up herself. Together, they witnessed the first snowfall of the season, the flakes shy as they dilly-dallied on their journey down.

As she watched them, she felt a sudden swell of emotion, her chest aching, though her heart flew at the same time. She rested her head against his chest, blinking back the tears. Nothing was the same. Everything had changed, and they would never go back. She thought of the people in her life, one for each snow flake. Her family, her friends. She felt the warmth of Clark's arms around her, so gentle and comfortable, like they were made for her. It seemed that she could feel her tattoo tingling on her arm.

Clark watched the snow fall, and remembered. One memory for each snowflake. Celebrations and disappointments, every mistake he'd ever made, and every lucky happenstance. All the people he'd known, slipping in and out of that revolving door of life. Just when it seemed the dust would settle, it would all get kicked up again. There was a queer feeling in his chest, his heart soaring while the rest of him seemed to ache. His grip on Ruby tightened, and he felt the warmth of her little body, which seemed to fit so perfectly in his arms, like she was made for them. He could practically feel his tattoo on his arm.

The ferris wheel started to move again, and he pulled back a little. He slipped a finger under Ruby's chin, and had her look up. "I think we should go home now."

She nodded. Some snowflakes stuck to the window of their car, melting. "Okay."


	13. Tracks

A couple centimeters of snow draped over everything like a thin blanket. The trees all lay bare. The sky above was bleached silver, hints of the sun poking through here and there. Despite the chill, the park was as populated as ever, the people gathered around the large pond. A dust-fueled ice machine had been hooked to it, keeping the water frozen solid. The younger ones wobbled a bit, keep close to the edges, while the older ones glided, doing laps.

Ruby and Ozpin left tracks through the snow as they made their own way to the pond, skates in hand. "It's been a while since I've actually done this," she said, her breath a cloud. "I don't really remember how."

"Come now Ruby, I'm sure you do. It's like riding a bike." They stopped at the edge, and Ruby sat to tug on her skates, while Ozpin balanced on his cane. Once they were on, he collapsed his cane and stuffed it in his pocket. He stepped onto the ice as easily as a duck moves from land to water. He skated a little inwards, out of the way of those skating in circles. On heel he turned back to face Ruby, ice shavings getting kicked up from the movement.

She walked with her knees bent inwards, arms stuck out and windmilling as she tried to keep her balance. She hobbled onto the pond, and no sooner attempted to move forward than slipped and skid on the ice. The people all skated around her as she attempted to collect herself and climb back to her feet. Ozpin skated over to her, and hooked his hands under her arms. He lifted her up, then held her steady as she tried to find her balance. "Thanks," she said.

"No problem," he replied. He started to remove his hands, but as soon as he did, she wobbled, her feet threatening to slip out from under her again. He gripped her shoulder, stopping her from toppling. "Hm."

"I told you, I'm just no good at this." She tossed her head with a huff, flipping her bangs out of her eyes.

"But you can learn." He took her by the hands, and lead her further out onto the ice. "First, hold your head up. Like a string is connected to it from the ceiling." He slipped a finger under her chin and had her stand up straight.

"Ceiling? We're outside."

"You know what I mean." He backed up a little from her, circling to her side. "Don't be so stiff. Bend your knees and keep your feet apart." She adjusted her stance, and stopped wobbling so much.

"Huh, this feels familiar."

"Good. Don't lean back." He let go, and she stood on her own. "You see? Now the hardest part is done."

"Right, and, moving forward..." She tried pushing off with her foot, but stumbled. She just managed to catch herself from falling, sliding a little with her arms out.

"You need to keep your feet level when you skate." He went back over to her, and tapped the front of her skate with the toe of his. "You're getting the pick caught in the ice, so it's making you trip."

"Okay, level feet, got it."

"Just slide your foot back like this." He demonstrated, gently pulling her with him by the hand. He waited until she did it herself before continuing. Slowly but surely, they started moving forward. Every so often she'd become unsteady, her grip tightening on his hand, but he kept her upright. He looked down at her hand, then furrowed his brows at it, turning it over and looking at the fingers. "Ruby, what's this paint?" It was pale and red and flaking off in some places.

"Oh, uh," she covered it with her other hand, "nothing. I mean, I was helping a friend with an art project."

He made a nonplussed sound. He wasn't sure he really believed that, with how shifty she'd suddenly become, but he decided to let it go. They continued skating, joining the ranks of the others in the main traffic.

"I think I'm starting to get the hang of it." She smiled, no longer watching her feet as she moved.

"Wonderful." He smiled as well.

"Howdy!" They looked over to a smiling couple who had started skating beside them. "Nice day today, ain't it?" the woman said.

He felt Ruby huddle a little closer to him, peeking out at the couple. "It is," he agreed.

"I'm Betty, and this is my husband Andrew." She gestured to her partner.

He gave a friendly little wave. "We've been traveling all over the kingdoms as a part of our honeymoon," he informed.

"Congratulations. My name is Clark, and this is Ruby," Ozpin said.

"Congrats," Ruby joined in.

"Thank you," Betty beamed. "It's been a little hectic at times, but it's been incredible to see the world. Our circuit will be taking us back home soon."

"You have a very pretty winter here," Andrew complimented.

"It certainly can be lovely," Ozpin agreed. "I must say, it's quite unusual to travel around like you two do."

"Oh we've always been fond of adventure," Betty said. "A couple grimm here and there don't frighten us."

"What about you two? You ever do any traveling?" Andrew asked.

"Just from Patch to here," Ruby said.

"When I was younger, not so much now," Ozpin explained. He felt Ruby start to wobble and slow down beside him, and he yanked her back forward. "Just relax dear, I told you before to not be so stiff in your stance."

"Right, right. Knees bent," she affirmed to herself. She concentrated on that, picking up speed to keep up with them.

He turned his attention back to the couple. Their courteous smiles were still there, but there was something in Betty's eyes. "Are you a skating instructor?" she asked.

He suddenly realized it, and wished he could bite his tongue off. "Ah, no. I'm not," he admitted.

"Oh. I wondered." Unspoken words hid behind those probing eyes.

"Are you father and daughter?" Andrew asked, though his eyes held nothing.

Ozpin's grip on Ruby's hand started to loosen. "No. We're simply good friends."

"Ah. How nice that the youth in this kingdom can have such good relationships with their elders."

"How did you two meet?" Betty asked. "You seem like you've known each other for a while."

Ruby's hand slipped out of his grip. "We-" Suddenly her arms started flailing as she once again lost her balance. As it seemed she would plummet, he caught her, an arm around her waist, and one resting on her shoulders. He pulled her back upright, waiting until her weight shifted back properly onto her skates before releasing her, moving to hold her hand again.

"Believe it or not, this actually isn't my first time skating," Ruby muttered to the couple.

Ozpin looked back to them. Now there was something in Andrew's eyes as well. "Actually, I knew her uncle for a long time before meeting her," he said in answer to their question.

"Ah, that explains it," Andrew said, and the suspicion in his eyes faded. Though Betty's lingered. He could practically feel her gaze rummaging around inside him, and felt like covering his tattoo, even though it was safely hidden beneath his sleeve.

She tugged on her husband's hand. "Anyway, I guess we'll see you around in town. Good bye." They skated away, leaving them behind.

His perfect posture fractured, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly as a sinking feeling grew in his chest. Though he doubted they would say anything to anyone. "Why are tourists always so chatty?" Ruby commented, scratching the back of her neck.

"They were just being nice," Ozpin said softly. He looked down to her. "Are you tired?"

She considered. "Of skating, sure."

He nodded. "Then let's head back." They stepped off the ice, exchanging the skates for their shoes where they'd stowed them, Ozpin taking his cane back out.

They walked away from the pond and the people, moving through the park, retracing their old tracks in the snow.


	14. Snowfall

"You're sure you'll be okay on your own?"

Ruby resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'll be fine, Yang," she reassured. She stood with her sister as she lingered outside the communal airship. All around them, students were climbing aboard various ships to journey home for the winter break. Blake and Weiss had already said their goodbyes.

"Alright, I'm just worried about you," she said, and tugged on the strap of her bag. "I'm honestly surprised that you opted to stay at Beacon over the break. Did your boyfriend tell you to do that?"

She pursed her lips. "Actually, he thought I should go home with you. I decided this for myself."

She nodded, glancing down at the ground. "You won't be lonely?"

"It's not like I'm the only one staying at Beacon. There's others, plus all the teachers who have to supervise us."

"Last call for leaving Beacon!" an attendant on the airship called.

The two sisters exchanged looks, and then hugs. "I'll be back soon," Yang promised.

"I'll see you then," Ruby agreed. She waved as Yang walked away. "And try to relax! You've been so stressed lately!"

She stuck her tongue out at her. "I could say the same to you!" She stepped aboard, and the door slid shut behind her. Ruby continued to stand and watch as the airships took off, leaving behind the school and becoming dots on the horizon.

She turned on heel and started walking back to the school. "Well, at least now things'll be quiet. At least for a little while." The snow had been cleared from the paths and piled on the grass to either side. Ruby shivered appreciatively as she stepped into the warmth of inside. Somehow, with practically everyone gone, the school looked different. Dusty corridors and otherwise hidden graffiti made themselves known. Her footsteps echoed through the halls, her pace meandering as she took the time to observe what little changes there were.

She soon reached Ozpin's office, and let herself in. "Hey Clark," she greeted.

He glanced up from some documents he was looking over. "Good morning, Ruby," he returned, then went back to work.

"Sheesh, you still got that much left to do?" She sauntered over, eyeing the pile of paperwork.

"A lot goes into running a school." He adjusted his glasses, signing off on something before moving on to the next form. "I'll be done soon. Just be patient."

"Kay." She turned for the side-door, and climbed the stairs to his apartment. Stepping inside, she frowned. It looked the same as always, with the same tasteful décor and well-lit spaces. But that simply wouldn't do. "C'mon Clark, I expect better." She thought for a moment, then shrugged and smiled. "'Tis the season."

She started opening and closing all of the doors. In this way she found the downstairs closet and bathroom, a utilities and linen closet along the stairwell, a laundry room, a largely empty room that only had an old map hanging from the wall, and his bedroom. She lingered for perhaps a little longer than necessary there, curiosity getting the better of her as she noted what common items he kept on the nightstand, and how the garbage can would soon need to be emptied. She was stunned to find shades other than green in his closet, and he had his own private bathroom with a shower. On the wall behind his bed was a large window cut in a curious, almost spiraling shape.

She left his room, and continued upstairs to a final trapdoor waiting at the end. Pushing it open, she climbed into the attic. A skylight provided the only illumination in the room. She almost felt the need to tip-toe in such a quiet, dark place. "If they're not here, I'm officially calling Clark a scrooge," she murmured to herself. There were many boxes and crates, all with various labels, some in languages Ruby didn't understand, some in numerals. But then, her eyes fell upon two medium-sized boxes, labeled in faded marker: _Natiuiteo Decorations_. She beamed, and grabbed both boxes. "Bingo."

She maneuvered her way back downstairs to the first floor. She opened up both boxes, and promptly pushed one off to the side as she saw it it was filled mostly with Natiuiteo tree ornaments and trappings. She lay her hands on the contents of the other box.

With a satisfied sigh, Ozpin put away another document. He sat back in his chair, sipping at his hot chocolate. It was enough for the day. He'd be able to tackle what little there was left tomorrow. He pushed himself to his feet, and collected his cane. He made the short walk out of his office and up to his apartment, and opened the door. He immediately halted, his eyes widening a fraction in surprise. Strung all over the place were colorful streamers. On the table, funny knick knacks of fancy gnomes were arranged. Natiuiteo lights had been hung around the kitchen and living room, held up with egregious amounts of tape. Paper snowflakes and snowmen had been cut out and stuck to the glass doors of the balcony.

He barely had a moment to take it all in when Ruby leaped out in front of him. "Surprise!" she cheered, doing jazz-hands. "Your apartment was looking remarkably un-festive, so I took the liberty of fixing that for you."

He spotted the two boxes labeled _Natiuiteo Decorations_ , then moved his attention towards her. "You went through my apartment?" he accused.

Her face fell. "No, I mean, it wasn't like I was snooping. I didn't go through your stuff or touch anything, I was just looking for something that was obviously Natiuiteo decorations, and I found it in the attic."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You didn't touch or read anything you weren't supposed to?"

"No, I promise." She held up her hand as if to swear.

He studied her for a moment longer before deciding that she was probably telling the truth, and that she hadn't come across anything important. He relaxed his stance. "Next time, just ask me where something is. Don't just go shuffling through my apartment to try and find it."

"Right, sorry." She nodded. She whirled on the spot, gesturing at the decorations. "I've taken care of the house decorations, as you can see. All that's left is the tree stuff. But, you haven't even gotten a tree yet."

"You don't always need to follow certain tropes to celebrate a holiday, Ruby."

"Okay I know but like, the tree is kind of a major thing. How can you have Natiuiteo without a tree, I ask you? It's iconic." She gestured for emphasis. "I saw some pretty good ones just right here on school grounds, we could just chop one off, drag it up here, and we'd be set."

"You want me to chop a tree down from one my own courtyards?"

"Oh you won't have to do it, I could do it myself with Crescent Rose." She fixed him with a pleading look, eyes watery. "Pretty please? We can do it some where nobody will notice. It's just one tree. Or we could even go down to the forest, and get a tree from there, if you like. That's actually a way better idea than the courtyard. C'mon, please? Pretty please with sugar on top?"

He sighed as she rattled off an ever expanding buffet of 'pleases.' "Fine," he interrupted. "We can get one from the forest."

"Yay!" She bounded past him out of the apartment. "I just gotta put on some mittens and grab Crescent Rose, and we can go!" He rolled his eyes, and gathered his own winter gear and tree-related supplies before exiting the apartment himself.

They soon found themselves crunching a path through the snow. Ruby carried Crescent Rose in its uncollapsed form over her shoulder. "What about that one?" she asked, pointing out a tree to the side.

"Too big," Ozpin dismissed, not even pausing.

"No way, your apartment could totally hold that!" She trotted to keep up with him.

"It has to be able to fit through the door, Ruby."

"Oh. Right." They kept going.

"That one could work." He nodded at a smaller one, just a little bit taller than him.

"You kidding me? It's so bare. You need a fuller one than that." And on it went between the two of them, until they came across a tree that they could compromise on.

"Wouldn't you rather get an ax, rather than use Crescent Rose for such a mundane task?" he asked as she walked up beside the pine.

"Nope. Besides, I use Crescent for all kinds of things, like hanging curtains and stuff." She lined the blade up against the trunk. Clark rolled his eyes. She pulled the trigger, and the scythe sliced clean through the tree from the kickback. "Alright, now we just gotta drag this thing all the way back with us."

"I brought rope for that." So saying, he pulled it tightly coiled out of his pocket.

"You think of everything, don't you?" She watched as he tied it around the trunk and looped it around for a handle.

"I try to." He held out a section of the rope to her. "Help me pull, would you?"

"Of course." With each of them holding onto the handle, they counted down, and began to pull. But Ruby looked back at the tree and then up to Clark in surprise as she felt much less strain than she was expecting on her arm. "You're kinda strong, aren't you?"

"I was a hunter too, once." She smiled at that, and they retraced their steps.

Glynda double-checked the schedules as she walked through school grounds, swiping through them on her scroll. As she went, she heard some giggling off to her left. She looked up from her scroll, stopping for a moment to watch. Across the way, Ruby and Professor Ozpin were dragging a pine tree across the courtyard. She quirked an eyebrow, and saw that Ruby had been the one who laughed, presumably at something witty Ozpin had said. She watched them until they disappeared from her sight beyond another building. She shrugged, then turned her attention back to her scroll, and continued walking.

Somehow, the two managed to get the tree all the way up to his apartment. They quickly settled on a clear spot near the den, and set the tree on its stand. "Good thing we shook off most of the loose needles by dragging it up here, huh?" Ruby commented.

"Yes. Set this around the stand, would you?" Clark requested, and tossed a floor blanket to her from out of the decorations box. She crouched down, wrapping the blanket around the bottom and smoothing it out as best she could. By the time she got out from under the tree, Clark had brought the box closer to them, and they began work on the tree. They had a brief argument on whether or not the ornaments or the tinsel should be put on first, which Ruby eventually won when Clark ran out of patience on the matter and gave up.

When the box was empty, they both sat back on the floor and admired their work. Dust-infused ornaments glowed gently, making the tinsel glitter and the crystal ornaments throw little spots of light around the room. Glass baubles reflected back a warped view of all they saw, in varying colors. Funny little sweet-smelling wicker dolls sat among the branches, and silver bells dangled in the gaps the other ornaments couldn't reach.

"When you decorate the tree, with your family," Ozpin spoke softly, "is that your favorite part of Natiuiteo?"

She studied his profile. "No. But it's pretty far up there." She looked back at the tree. She shifted her weight, leaning over onto him, her head slipping into the crook of his neck. "But I've spent Natiuiteo and decorated the tree with my family _every_ year. I think it's time that I spent one with my soulmate."

He almost opened his mouth to argue that, then thought better of it. In the end, he knew there would be no point. His eyes jumped from point to point on the tree. It was already starting to grow dim outside, those short winter days turning things from white to gray. With the world so quiet and empty, Clark tilted his head to rest on top of hers.


	15. Silent Night

Ruby stamped her feet on the small welcome mat, shaking off the snow. Blowing hot air out her mouth, she walked through the small post office at Beacon, and got in line behind one of the only other people there. She promptly stepped up to the counter as the queue moved on. "Hey Bill, how're my packages doing? They get where they were going?"

"Let me check," the clerk said, and reached for a tablet. After a minute of scrolling and tapping, he answered, "Yup. Everyone's getting their presents on time."

"Awesome."

"You also have a number of packages that have arrived today. Would you like to take them yourself, or have them delivered to your dorm?"

"I'll just take them myself." Several packages precariously stacked in her arms later, and she blindly navigated her way back out the post office, heading for the dorms. In her room, she added another, much smaller package to her pile, this one hand-wrapped with a crimson ribbon. She continued her journey throughout the school, drawing a few curious and amused glances by the few remaining residents.

Wobbling on one leg, she opened the door to Ozpin's apartment with her foot. "Hello," she greeted.

He looked up from his book, and did a double take. "Ruby?"

"Yeah." She felt the stack start to teeter, and shifted her weight back under it to compensate. "Do you mind if I stick these under your tree?"

He set his book aside. "You may, but why?"

"Well I mean, Natiuiteo _is_ tomorrow. If not now, when?" She knelt, and tipped the boxes onto the floor, though she held onto the little hand-wrapped present. She removed the presents from within the brown shipping boxes, revealing their colorful paper patterns.

He watched her for a moment. "I suppose I might as well put my own presents under the tree."

"Oh yeah man, totally!" She had shoved her torso under the tree, her knees digging into the floor as she buried her gifts among the branches. She was halfway through her pile when Ozpin came back with his own gifts. But she couldn't help but give pause as he only carried a couple of presents. "Is that all?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her, and knelt down next to her. "I've only managed to keep in touch with a few close friends, over the years. Yes, this is all."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't." He reached over and tucked some hair behind her ear, giving her a gentle smile. She smiled shyly back.

Later, Clark retrieved some board games, and they played the afternoon away. As the hour grew late, Clark set about preparing dinner. Ruby soon joined him in the kitchen, and they worked together, her chopping up vegetables while he oiled a skillet. Once dinner was ready, they sat together at the island counter. Ruby took off her cape, letting it drape over the back of her chair.

"Why do you take off your cape at dinner?" he asked.

"Dad never let me wear it at the table," she explained, straightening her skirt. "Said it was impolite."

He nodded in understanding, and they continued their meal.

When they were done and the dishes were put away, they moved to his couch. Ruby cuddled up next to him as they watched tv, any host of Natiuiteo specials playing on a variety of channels. Full and satisfied, a certain heaviness started to creep into their bones, without either of them noticing. They could hear the wind whistle and see the snow fall outside, but inside was warm, and so were they. The tv was set at a low volume, the music and voices taking on soothing, lullabic properties. It floated through their ears and drifted in their heads, a hypnotic spell that even caused the more cautious of the two to drop his guard and be enchanted. The couch was a cloud, the moving images blurred and more like a swirling of colors. The rest of the lights had already been turned off or turned low in the apartment.

They fell asleep. Neither of them had been paying attention to the time, too engrossed in the cheesy yet endearing nature of the holiday programs. Not particularly aware of themselves, they shut their eyes and slipped away, slumping over on the sofa. Their bodies turned limp and settled on the paths of least resistance. Clark's leg dangled off the edge, foot resting on its side on the floor. Ruby had wrapped her arms around the nearest thing that her body supposed was a pillow.

Thus, as the clock ticked into the birth of a new day, she soon discovered what happened. She shivered, the chill finally starting to get to her, despite the warmth of her pillow. She reached blindly for a blanket, but couldn't immediately find one. Blearily, she opened her eyes. Clark lay fast asleep, his head propped against the end pillow, his body stretched out on the couch. One hand lay haphazardly over the small of her back, which happened to be right over where his stomach was. The pillow she'd been using turning out to be his chest, slowly rising and falling. His glasses were askew on his face, and she smiled at that. Slow and careful in her movements, she took his glasses off, folded them, and set them on the nearby coffee table.

She grabbed the remote, and turned the tv off. She reached up and retrieved the throw-blanket from the back of the sofa, and covered them with it. She snuggled a little closer to him, and rested her chin on his chest. She watched his face, and brushed some of his hair back. "This is the part of you that I like," she whispered, her voice barely audible, even to herself. "This is the part that I like to see. That makes all of it worth it."

She fiddled with the collar of his shirt, and continued, "When you let all your barriers down, and let me see the real you. When you let me see how nice and funny and loving you can be. When your ice melts, and you're warm, just for me." She sighed, and rested the side of her head against his chest now, hugging him around the middle. "It's so worth it. No matter what people say, no matter what kind of trouble we may face, no matter what the world does to try and tear us apart. It's worth it, just to see the way you look at me when we're alone."

"I love you, Clark," she breathed, and fell back asleep.


	16. Too Far

He was floating. No, strike that, he was standing on his feet. He was on a cloud. No, this was his _castle_ in the clouds. Ah yes, he knew the place well. With its wondrous gardens, and the world sprawling below, all its worries and troubles far beneath him. He'd had this dream before. He was very familiar with how it went, and it was always a favorite of his. Here he was the king of his own perfect little world.

And there was his princess. Cute and kind, from a far away land, she awaited him in one of the many comfortable rooms of the floating palace. In a lovely rose-red dress that matched the tips of her otherwise black hair, plus a pendent that brought out her silver eyes. He embraced her, holding her close. She hugged him back, wriggling a little in his arms. He rolled over, pining her under his weight. She let out a squeak, like the air had just been knocked out of her.

That was a little odd. Normally she giggled at that point in the dream, not squeaked. But he ignored it, taking in her sweet scent from her soft hair. She wriggled and writhed, her hands pressing against his chest. How strange. She was saying his name too, but not the way she normally did in his dreams. "Clark, Clark get off. Clark, you're crushing me," she groaned, her voice sounding strained. He furrowed his brows. Why did his body feel so heavy? His vision was swimming, his princess's face becoming indistinct as a darkness consumed.

His eyes opened a slit. He blinked, lifting his head in confusion. This wasn't his bed. Why was he in his living room? _And who was that underneath him?_ He raised his body up, balancing on his elbows, and looked down.

Ruby gasped underneath him. "Sheesh, why are you so heavy?" she breathed. He couldn't respond, a sort of paralysis coming over his limbs as the situation slowly dawned on him. She gave him an apologetic smile, glanced down with a blush, then looked back up at him. "Good morning, I guess."

He practically threw himself from her, falling to the ground between the couch and the coffee table. She sat up, but he was already crawling to his feet and moving away from her. "I'm sorry," was all he said before disappearing in the bathroom and locking the door behind him.

Ruby ran her fingers through her hair, straightening it out. "Well, that could've gone better." Then she spotted the presents under the tree, and remembered what day it was. She smiled, and went over to them.

Meanwhile, Ozpin was still freshening up in the bathroom. He splashed cold water in his face, trying to clear his mind. _I shouldn't have done that._ The fact that he was half-asleep was no excuse. In fact, he shouldn't have fallen asleep without first sending her home in the first place. How could he have let his guard down and let her stay the night? And worse, sleep on the couch with him? It was bad enough that he was a man, even worse that he'd been having those dreams and thoughts about her on a regular basis.

He threw more water in his face, letting it drip through his hair and get on his clothes. He slouched over the sink, and looked up at himself in the mirror. His 5 o'clock shadow looked dark in the faint morning light. He'd messed up. It didn't matter that he could take care of the problem in a matter of minutes. He'd messed up. Would Ruby break up with him on the spot? Lovey dovey optimist that she was, even she had her limits, surely. Maybe that was for the best. He rubbed at the back of his neck, and stood up straight.

He stepped back out of the bathroom. "Happy Natiuiteo!" Ruby greeted him, sitting on the floor by the tree, a couple presents already unwrapped and set to the side. "C'mon, come join in on the fun."

He didn't approach. "Ruby," he said. She paused in the middle of undoing a ribbon to look at him. "I am so sorry. For getting on top of you this morning, I am so very sorry. I was half asleep, I wasn't paying attention. I'm sorry for allowing that situation to even occur. I-"

"Oh it's fine." She dismissed it with a wave of her hand, and kept unwrapping presents.

He gave a moment of pause. "I'm sorry?"

"It's fine, I could tell you were still dreaming." She smiled at him, and shrugged. "You just surprised me, that's all. It's no big deal. And besides, you weren't _that_ heavy." She grabbed another present, looked at the label, and put it to the side. "That one's yours."

Somehow, he found that he wasn't all too surprised by her response. But he was still cautious. "I'll... be with you in a moment." He turned for the stairs, rubbing at his jaw. "I have to go shave."

"Kay. Though I kind of like the beard."

He froze, one foot on the first step. "You do?"

"Mm-hm. Makes you looked kinda rugged, like some action movie star. Or like a character from a video game."

He was stupid. He knew this. Slowly he moved his foot off the stair, and turned back towards Ruby.

She looked back over her shoulder at him. "I can understand you shaving to look professional, but you don't have work today, right? You don't have to shave if you don't want to."

What a moron. He walked over to her, and sat a few feet away from her, well outside of arm's reach. She twisted in her seat and retrieved his glasses from the coffee table, handing them to him.

She tossed a present to him. "Well go on, see what loot you got."

He turned the present in his hands, watching her for a moment. He then began to unwrap the present. Scraps of paper were organized in a pile between them, while their gifts were put into separate piles. Her paper was usually left in scraps, while his were left largely intact, with creases here and there where the paper was folded. Socks and sweaters and ties and books composed their gift piles. When Ruby encountered a light blue-striped box, Ozpin spoke up, "Oh, that one's from me."

"It is?" She held it up to her ear, giving it a little shake.

"Careful, it's fragile."

"Oh, sorry." She slipped her finger under the paper fold, ripping the tape. A small green box lay underneath. She removed the lid, and cooed. "Oh, it's so pretty." It was a hairpin, with opals arranged to resemble the sun.

"It was your mother's."

She looked up at that, her eyes going wide. "What?"

"I called in a favor from an old friend, who knew your mother well. I thought you should have it."

For a moment, she couldn't speak. She looked back down at the hairpin, and carefully lifted it from its cotton bed in the box. The opals caught the light, a rainbow swirl against a backdrop of cream. She slipped it into her hair, pinning her bangs back. She could feel a lump swell in her throat, and blinked back tears. "Thank you so much. This really means a lot to me."

He gave her a kind smile. "No problem."

She beamed. "I have something for you too." She dove under the tree and retrieved a hand-wrapped present with a crimson ribbon. She held it out to him. "I made it myself."

He exchanged a look with her before taking the box in his own hands. The paper was taped somewhat clumsily together, though the ribbon was in a pretty knot. He took his time with it, causing Ruby to shift impatiently in her seat.

"C'moooon, it's just paper! Just rip it open."

He suppressed a chuckle, almost taking even longer to unwrap the gift. Under the colored plastic paper was a plain box, and in that a few layers of tissue paper concealed a round object. When he let that all fall away, he raised his eyebrows at what he held. It was a music box, red plates of metal folded around each other to resemble a rose.

"Ta-da!"

He looked between her and the music box. "You made this?"

She nodded. "Took me a couple months, but I think it came out pretty good. Open it up, listen to the song."

First he turned it over to expose the little turnkey, and twisted it round and round. Once sufficiently cranked, he pulled back the lid of the music box. A small figurine popped out on a spring, a somewhat crude yet endearing carving of two ballet dancers, spinning around together while a haunting melody played. A man danced a pas de deux with his partner, their images reflected in a mirror set into the lid of the music box. "It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it." Without him noticing, she had scooted closer to him. He moved a couple inches away.

"I can't believe you made this. I had no idea you were so talented. I mean, I knew you were talented, but this is artistic."

"It's not so different from when I made Crescent Rose. I just couldn't include any weapon functions." She shrugged.

Clark set it to the side, letting it continue playing. "Thank you very much. I'll treasure it for as long as I live."

"Really, it's no big deal." Her hand moved out of habit to brush her bangs back, only to find that her hair was already out of her face, and instead her fingers bumped against the hairpin. She smiled, and looked up at him.

He wasn't entirely sure whether or not he liked the look she was suddenly giving him. Then she started to lean towards him. No, he didn't like that look in her eyes at all. Such looks were dangerous. He leaned back, hoping she would take the hint. But she was undeterred, and started to crawl on her hands and knees towards him. "Um, Ruby." He leaned away even further, but soon found that he would be in danger of losing his balance if he went back much more. And still she pursued him, that same dangerous look in her eyes.

He shrank back into himself, his eyes locked on her as she was soon mere inches from his face. Finally she paused, her arms bracing herself on either side of his waist. She lifted one hand, brushing his bangs back and tucking some hair behind his ear. Before he could say another word, perhaps to bring her back to her senses, she occupied his mouth.

His whole body tensed, a heat rushing into his face. He needed to stop her. They shouldn't be doing this. This wasn't like last time. Oh, but she smelled so nice. All he had to do was back away, and it would end. Oh, but there was such a pretty pink blush in her cheeks. This was dangerous, he knew. It was a slippery slope. Oh, but her lips tasted so sweet. His eyelids started to drift shut, though more rational parts of his mind tried to remind him of what was at stake. Oh, but this was so much better than any of his dreams.

His eyes shut, and he kissed her back. He raised a hand, tangling it in her hair and tilting her head. It was already late in the morning, the light stretching across the room, though the tree cast a dark shadow on them, Natiuiteo lights ever so gently glowing.

There was a knock at the door.


	17. Ultimatum

They broke apart at the sound, their eyes going wide in shock. "Hide," Ozpin instructed. In a flash of scarlet she dove for the closet, shutting the door behind her. He scrambled to his feet, and wiped at his mouth as he approached the door. He opened it halfway, just enough for most of his body to block the gap.

"Good morning, Professor Ozpin," Glynda greeted. She gave pause. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, not at all, I've been up for a while now." His fingers drummed against the door frame.

"It's just, you haven't shaved, so I thought..."

"Oh no, I was just... I was just taking it easy today." He rubbed at his jaw, hand passing over his mouth again. "I was going to shave in a little bit. What brings you here?"

"I came to wish you Happy Natiuiteo, and," she held up a large thermos, "I made my special Natiuiteo Cocoa, so I thought we could share it."

"Ah, Glynda, you're a gem." He saw her shift her weight as if she intended to step inside his apartment, and he quickly moved to block her path. "I'll tell you what, we can drink it as we walk across school grounds. It's a beautiful morning, it would be the perfect combo."

"Oh." She frowned. "I was just out there, though, and it really is nippy outside. There's a wind that just goes straight through you."

"Which will make your cocoa taste all the better." He gestured with his hand. "You go on ahead, wait for me down on the ground floor. I'll shave and put on my coat."

She furrowed her brows. "Well... if you say s-" She stopped, her eyes seeming to focus on his arm or shoulder, or something beyond them. He had a sinking feeling. Her entire expression changed, her shoulders tensed. She glanced back up at him and down at whatever she was looking at, nostrils beginning to flare. She turned on heel and marched away.

He turned, gaze desperately searching for whatever she had seen. His heart jumped into his throat. Ruby's cape had been left to drape over the back of her chair from last night. He swore, and grabbed his coat off the hanger. He rushed down the stairs after her. "Glynda, wait!"

She had already passed through his office, and took the elevator near the stairs. He took the stairs two at a time, hoping to beat her at the bottom. He was heading for the elevator doors when they opened, and out stepped Glynda. She took one look at him before turning away, almost jogging.

"Glynda, Glynda wait, stop!" He ran in front of her, and gripped her by the shoulders.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped, and smacked his hands away. "Don't you- don't you even _speak_ to me." She tried to march past him, but he kept pace in front of her.

"Glynda, I can explain-"

"Oh really?" She finally stopped, her hand on her hip. "Pray tell, _Professor_ , what explanation do you have?"

"Glynda-"

"She is your _student!_ All this time, all those rumors, it was _you!_ How dare you?! She's 15!"

"Glynda, I-"

She started to pace, arms gesturing wildly, cocoa sloshing in the thermos. "I can't believe that you, of all people, would do such a thing! I trusted you, we all trusted you." She faced him again. "Do you have any idea how serious this is?"

"Glynda, I assure you, nobody knows how serious this is better than me."

"Oh that's good. I suppose I can also trust that you didn't let anything slip about the Maidens or magic over pillow-talk?"

"I haven't done anything to her, Glynda, I promise."

"Oh thank God, because your word is worth so much now."

"Glynda-" he started, then stopped again. "Glynda, I didn't just seek her out, like some perverse old man-"

"You look like a pretty perverse old man to me."

"Glynda, it's more complicated than all that." He glanced away for a moment, then reached for his sleeve, pulling it back. "She's my soulmate." His tattoo glittered in the white winter light streaming in from the windows.

She looked at it for a moment, then back up at him. "Do you think that's an excuse?"

"No." He rolled his sleeve back down. "But she insisted that I give her a chance-"

"And you _listened_ to her?"

"I never thought it would last this long. I thought she would get bored after a week or two, and break up with me."

"And why didn't _you_ break up with her, in that case?"

"I couldn't, Glynda, it all just got so out of hand." He rubbed at his eyes under his glasses. "Things just seemed to move so fast, I started to let my guard down, and I just... I just-"

"Please don't tell me you fell in love with her." He went silent, looking at her helplessly. She only frowned at him. "Don't look at me like that. Like you're some pathetic child. You're the adult, don't act like you're a victim to the whims of youth and love. There are people all over the world who rely on you. You have no room to behave in such a way."

"Please don't tell anyone."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm begging you." He stooped, lowering himself before her. "Please, please don't tell anyone about this. I swear, I haven't done anything. I haven't told her anything. Please, for her sake, just keep this a secret."

"'Her sake?'" She narrowed her eyes.

"You yourself have been hearing what people have been saying about her, just based on rumors. It's been hard enough on her just to put up with all that. Can you imagine what she would go through if this went public? Her reputation as a huntress would be besmirched forever, she would be downtrodden in the public eye, she'd never be able to live it down."

"What about you? You'd lose your job, your status. Everyone would hate you just as much, if not more."

"That part doesn't matter. I can handle something as trivial as the public being turned against me. Ruby, she's too young for that, it would be too cruel for her." She looked away, her mouth pressed thin. "Please, Glynda. She has her whole future ahead of her."

She looked back at him. "Fine. I won't tell anyone."

His shoulders relaxed for a moment, and he stood up straight again. "Thank-"

" _If_ you break up with her."

For a moment, he wasn't sure if he'd heard her. "What?"

"I'll keep it a secret, if you break up with her, and put an end to this silly relationship. If you don't let this progress any further, I won't tell a soul. If you stop dating her, if you stop seeing her in your apartment, if you start pushing her away, I'll pretend I didn't see her cape tossed on some chair in your private quarters. Before anyone else finds out. Before the students come back from winter break. Before the start the of spring. I don't care when you do it, just _do it_." Her gaze softened for just a moment. "It can't go on like this."

She walked past him, intentionally bumping him with her shoulder as she went. For a moment, he didn't move, her ultimatum ringing in his ears. Finally, he looked up again, and started walking back up the stairs. High, high, and higher still. High above the rest of the world and all its problems and quarrels, he climbed. Through his office and through the side door, past the constant machinations in the tower.

The door to his apartment had been left open, and he stepped through, closing it behind him. "Ruby," he called, taking off his coat.

She stepped out from within the closet. "What happened? Did she... figure it out? How?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter." He shook his head. "It wasn't your fault. It was mine, my own oversight for letting my guard down." He passed a hand through his hair. "The fact of the matter is, she knows now."

For a moment, she didn't speak. She looked down at her hands, wringing them. She looked back up. "You don't suppose she'll tell anyone, will she? I mean, we haven't even done anything."

 _Not yet._ "Ruby... I think that you shouldn't come to my apartment anymore."

She blinked at him. "What?"

"It's become too much of a risk. I just think it would be better for us if we were more casual about all this. If we maintain more of a distance, then it'll be easier to keep this all a secret."

She folded her arms over her chest, and cast her eyes down. "It's not fair."

"It's for the best."

She nodded. She collected her cape, tying it around her shoulders. She and Ozpin picked up the collective garbage from that morning, throwing it away. She collected her presents in her arms. "I guess I'll see you around."

"Yeah." They exchanged a look, her sad silver eyes gazing deep into his brown ones. She moved towards him, and somehow managed to give him a hug, despite her armload. He gave her a very gentle hug back. When they parted, his fingers trailed down her arms, reluctant to let go. The door closed between them.


	18. Humidity

Yang sat in an armchair near the fire. She gazed into the flames, watching them dance and shift. Qrow walked into the room, taking a seat across from her. "Hey Bumblebee," he greeted. "Glad to see you're still diligently moping."

"I can't help it," she replied. "It's the first year where Ruby stayed away for Natiuiteo."

"She's growing up. I'm often not here for Natiuiteo, remember?"

"And we're so glad that you could come this year, even if you were late."

"That's only because Ozpin had asked a favor of me." He kicked his feet up on the coffee table.

She quirked a brow. "A favor?"

He picked at his ear. "Asked me if he could have something that once belonged to Summer. A bobby pin. It wasn't a big deal for me to give it to him, though I can't help but wonder what he'd want it for."

"Hm." She rested her chin on her hand. "I wonder how Ruby's doing?"

"She's fine, don't worry so much. You'll be seeing her in a couple days anyways, so you can go back to watching her like a hawk and monitoring her romantic life."

She sat up. "I wouldn't have to monitor her if I just knew who the guy was." She rested back. "If I knew he was someone I could trust, I wouldn't have to pay so close attention." She gave a bitter smile. "Not like it does much good, though. She's become so secretive, it's like I don't even know her anymore. That's why I can't just let this go and trust her, it all just leaves a funny feeling in my gut."

"C'mon, you really don't know anything about the guy? Ruby's not _that_ good at keeping secrets." He gestured with his hand. "So you're sure that Ruby stayed behind this year so she could be with her boyfriend. Fine, that means the guy is someone she knows very well and trusts. So it's probably someone she already knew before they were soulmates."

"I don't think she really knew anybody in town..."

"It could be an upperclassmen from your school." He tapped at his temple, looking her in the eye. "Think about it, Yang. What good is watching her all this time if you can't even make any decent guesses at who her boyfriend is?"

She looked back at the fire, and narrowed her eyes at it. She thought. She thought about Ruby staying behind at Beacon over winter break. To be with her boyfriend?

She thought about Ruby leaving school-grounds, a pair of ice skates tucked into her bag. But she thought that she didn't like ice-skating?

She thought of Ruby going out the same night as the Autumn Carnival, but not seeing her there. But when she and Blake and Weiss got back, Ruby was acting a little strange towards them, as if she was angry. Did she ever go to the carnival? Did she somehow know that they had been there too?

She thought about Ruby leaving the dorm in a pretty dress... but with no purse. Who goes out on the town without their phone and wallet and other necessities? She did go out on the town, right?

She thought of Ruby disappearing for a little while during the afternoon, again without a purse, and then when she came back, she was more secretive than ever. Why?

She thought of not seeing Ruby at breakfast, and her saying she was going to catch brunch someplace. There was something buzzing in the back of her mind about it, and for some reason, it seemed to her that the teacher's table in the cafeteria was also short one or two members that day. Who else was gone that day?

She thought of the glimpse of a text message she had seen Ruby receive on her phone, some cutesy picture with a motivational message. In a way it reminded her of the cards she and Ruby would get from their grandparents sometimes, when they were little. Or their dad, when he was being especially dorky. She thought of Ruby's boyfriend being older than her. Just how much older?

She thought of how when she came back All Grimm's Eve, Ruby was just getting into bed, but there was something off about her face. Her cheeks looked shiny, tinged with pink, and her eyes were a little puffy. At the time, she had assumed she was just tired. But was there more?

She thought of the days and afternoons where Ruby was no where to be found, coming back with flushed cheeks as if she'd been running around in the cold. Once she even had a feather stuck to the hem of her skirt. Where did something like that come from?

She thought of Ruby coming back one day with a smirk on her face, and of how she had a variety of space facts to share over dinner. She thought of Ruby refusing to let them see her tattoo. She was never particularly interested in space, and why was she so careful with her arm?

She thought of Ruby saying she was going to run some errands in town one evening, but then she came back empty-handed. Just what did she do in town?

She thought of an odd couple of days where Ruby had seemed down, and was constantly trying to talk to Professor Ozpin about something, but every time she tried, he was busy with something. Was she trying to ask for his help in something? Had she already met her soulmate, and was her attempting to talk to Ozpin a cry for help? Just how much time passed before Yang started to pay more attention to her? Was she already too late by the time she and her friends confronted Ruby about her tattoo? Was he already making her keep secrets?

She thought hard, furrowing her brows. Hours, days, weeks of accumulated time, where nobody seemed to know where Ruby was or what she was doing. What piece was she missing?

She thought all the way back to when Ruby's tattoo had first changed from brown to orange. How excited she had been at the time... So excited, she walked around in a daze, her head in the clouds, even going so far as to bump the headmaster with her shoulder. That day...

Her eyes suddenly snapped wide, and she sucked a breath in through her teeth. _In the afternoon of that day, Professor Ozpin had asked Ruby to see him in his office. To talk. When she came back, Ruby said her tattoo was still orange, but... And he asked Qrow if he could have something that once belonged to Ruby's mom. Right before Natiuiteo._

"You figure it out?" Qrow tilted his head, peering into her face.

Her eyes couldn't seem to make up their mind between being lilac or red. Her hands gripped the arms of her chair. "I'm gonna kill him."

* * *

Ruby looked up from her book. She turned her head from side to side, eyes searching.

"What is it?" Ozpin asked, sensing her movement. He turned the page of his own book. They sat together, the backs of their chairs against each other. They had decided to go to the library as a date, since hanging out in his apartment was now out of the question. Somehow it seemed a bit nostalgic.

"Nothing... I just felt odd for a moment there." She relaxed.

"Odd?"

She nodded, and turned her gaze back down to her book. "Like when you can smell rain coming."


	19. Quiet

Ruby stood in front of the school, watching and waiting as the airships docked, unloading returning students for the new semester. She fiddled with her hairpin, feeling it come a little loose. Before her, another airship landed and opened its doors. Searching through the crowd, it wasn't long until she spotted the golden head of her sister.

She smiled, and waved, the rest of her team coming into view...and Uncle Qrow? Her hand faltered, her smile slipping in confusion. What was he doing here? And why were they all looking at her with such stern expressions, their postures stiff, except for maybe Uncle Qrow? As they came closer, she opened her mouth to ask them, when Qrow ducked down and scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder to carry. "H-hey!" she complained. She wriggled and squirmed against his grip, the group moving off the main path. "Sheesh, I don't see you guys for weeks and this is the greeting I get? No 'hello,' no 'how are you,' you just pick me up and carry me someplace. Where are we going?"

The sounds of the crowd were becoming but a faint echo as they moved into the long shadows Beacon cast, taking cover behind its thick gray walls. He finally set her down, but as soon as he did, Yang gripped her wrist and yanked her sleeve up, twisting her arm. Ruby gasped and shoved Yang away, pulling her sleeve back up. "Ouch!" Her heart hammered in her throat, and suddenly the looks on their faces made a little more sense, but she prayed it wasn't the case. "I told you not to do that!"

" _Clark Ozpin?_ " Yang ground out through her teeth. "Are you _kidding_ me?!"

"I, I-" She hadn't foreseen this. She hadn't prepared for this. What would Clark do?

" _He's_ your soulmate, and you're actually dating him?!"

"Yang, not so loud!"

"All this time, and that, that, that disgusting man-"

"He's not disgusting." She squared her shoulders and stuck out her chin. "You don't know anything about him; this isn't any of your business."

"Not my business? My sister's getting molested by the headmaster!"

"Ew, Yang, don't be so gross." She recoiled. "He hasn't done anything like that. You're the only one who thinks that way."

"I guarantee you he thinks that way too." She loomed over her, Ruby suddenly becoming aware of what it must be like to face Yang in combat.

"You don't know that."

"He's a man. All men think about it."

"It's true," Qrow pitched in.

"I've already told you over and over, he's a gentleman."

"Obviously not if he's willing to date a 15-year-old."

"It was my idea." Yang drew back a little, finally. "He didn't want to date me, but I convinced him. If you want to get angry at anyone, you should get angry at me."

"That's no excuse," Weiss piped up. "He's the adult, he should've turned you down no matter what."

"He tried, but I wouldn't let him."

Yang set her jaw. "Then he didn't try at all." She turned on heel and started to march away, and Qrow followed her.

"Hey-" Ruby moved to follow, but Blake and Weiss now blocked her path.

"Ruby, we really need to have a serious talk," Blake told her.

"But where are they going?" She stepped to go around them, but then they grabbed her by the arms, and pulled her even further from where the people were.

"Ruby, you're just not seeing the big picture in all this," Weiss told her.

"Let me go!" Ruby cried out, struggling and pulling against them.

"No. Not until we make you understand," Blake said firmly.

Ozpin stood within the school, greeting the returning students in the atrium. He briefly wondered to himself when he'd see team RWBY, since it'd been a while now since Ruby left to greet them at the landing. Then he felt a certain shift in the atmosphere, something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He looked up, and saw Yang and Qrow approaching. They cut a path through the sea of students, the others all moving out of the way as if they could sense the change in mood as well.

He gripped the head of his cane, and met their gazes evenly. He knew those looks. He knew it could only mean one thing. At length, they stopped in front of him. "Good day, Miss Xiao Long-"

"Don't you 'miss' me, mister," she shot back.

He frowned, and turned his attention to Qrow. "I see that you are well."

"Yeah, I am," he answered. He reached up and crossed his arms behind his head, appearing casual. But Ozpin could see the restless tapping of his fingers. "Had a good Natiuiteo with my family. Well, most of them."

He really hoped that neither of them would say anything out here, in front of the students who slowed as they passed, necks craned to watch. He really hoped it wouldn't escalate to irredeemable levels. A fight, the truth exposed. He sipped at his cocoa.

"What about you?" Qrow continued. "You have a good Natiuiteo?"

"Well enough."

"What'd you get? A tie? A new mug?... How about a new toy?"

Brown stared down wine-red. "A new tie, yes."

"What a shame," Yang said, and cracked her knuckles. "Seems to me like you could use a new mug, _Professor_."

"Miss Xiao Long," a new voice spoke, and they looked to see Glynda approaching them. "Mr Branwen, Professor Ozpin. Perhaps you'd all like to join me in the teacher's lounge for drinks?" She had her hands on her hips, her wand pinned on one side. They exchanged looks for a moment, then all followed where she lead them. Away from the curious eyes of others, away from the whispering voices as they found fresh gossip.

Glynda held the door open for them as they entered one by one in the empty lounge, and then she stepped in herself, locking the door behind her. Ozpin faced away from them all, his eyes downcast. He could practically feel the girl's stare burning a hole through his back. "How?" he simply asked.

She tossed her hair back. "Figured it out myself. Even if you were making her keep quiet, she's not very discreet, you know? So now you've got five minutes until I start pounding your face into the ground."

"I did warn you, that others would start to figure it out as well," Glynda said.

She rounded on her. " _You knew?_ "

"Don't you dare look at me like that," she snapped. "I only just found out over winter break."

"You know Ozpin, we've known each other for a pretty long time," Qrow said. "I never really took you for the kind of guy to go after such young tail-"

"Don't insult me," Ozpin interrupted, finally facing them. "You know me."

"Not as well as I thought. Now I know why you asked for that hairpin from Summer. It looked very pretty on her, for sure." He pinched at his own cheeks. "Why, with that hair out of her face, you can really see the baby fat."

" _Do you think this is a game?_ "

"No, it's a mistake," Yang said. "3 minutes now. How dare you take advantage of her like that? Just because you're soulmates? Ruby still looks up to the heroes in her fairytales, and you let her believe in this 'relationship', acting like some Prince Charming?" She narrowed her eyes. "You make me sick." A moment of silence passed between them. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I have nothing to say to you," he said. His eyes cast down. "I have no excuse. I gave it a chance, and ended up charmed. I thought she would end it after the first week-"

"You son of a-"

"Miss Xiao Long," Glynda spoke up again. "When I found out about the affair, I convinced Professor Ozpin to break up with her."

"...Oh."

"And did you?" Qrow asked.

He sipped at his hot chocolate. A clock ticked in the room.

"Ozpin," Glynda said, her voice a bit strained. "You _did_ break up with her like I asked, correct?"

He couldn't look any of them in the eye. "Not yet."

"Professor!"

"You gotta be kidding me, Oz," Qrow said, shaking his head.

"Break up with her, right now," Yang said. "Go out and break up with her today."

He looked up. " _Today?_ "

"If you don't, then I'll, I'll, I'll tell the press!" She held her head high. "I'll go right down to the headquarters of Beacon's Daily, and I'll tell them all about it."

He felt his stomach drop. "You, you can't, Ruby-"

"Don't think for a second I won't do whatever it takes to protect my sister." Her lilac eyes looked on the verge of turning. "Either you break up with her today, or you make next week's headlines."

Silence once again. Glynda moved out of the way, and unlocked the door. "I think it's time you returned to your dorm, Miss Xiao Long. I think we'd better leave Professor Ozpin alone for now. You should leave too, Qrow."

"Sure. After all, I've still got all those little seasonal errands to run, right?" He headed out first, and Yang followed suit, though she shot Ozpin a glare over her shoulder as she left.

Glynda gave him a pitying look at she lingered in the doorway. "I did warn you." Her heels clicked against the tiles, and he was alone.

He felt frozen. Frozen in time, frozen in thought, frozen in speech, his bones chilled. Eventually, incrementally, he was able to move again, his joints stiff as he left the lounge. Down corridors and halls that he knew would be empty, he walked. Their words rang in his head, overlapping and emphasizing the same fears and doubts and worries he'd had for weeks. What would Ruby do?

He stepped outside, a light snow floating, tarrying and acting as if they'd quite forgotten how to fall. A dusting covered the sidewalks in the courtyards, a faint trail marking where he tread. He was quite unconscious of where exactly he was going, knowing only the sting of the cold against his exposed skin as he swam and drowned in his thoughts.

Until, he heard a sniffling. A soft hiccuping and moaning. He looked up, and felt a stab in his chest. Somehow, his feet had taken him to the fountain. That fountain. The one from so long ago, on a misty morning, when fate beckoned. There now, leaning against that frozen fountain with the now still water, that figure of fate knelt on the ground, her shoulders shaking, her hood pulled up. He went to her, his footsteps muffled. He sat down on the fountain railing beside her.

"Ruby?" his voice was soft. She looked up, and it was another blow to his chest. The usual rosiness of her cheeks had turned ruddy, streaked with salty tears, her eyes puffy and shining.

"Clark," her voice was hoarse. She moved to him, now crying in his lap. "Clark, I'm so sorry, they found out." She spoke between hiccups and sobs. "I don't know how, but they did. I'm so sorry, I tried so hard, but I, I-"

"Shh," he hushed her, petting her hair. Snowflakes melted in it, making it a bit damp. "It's not your fault."

"Blake and Weiss... I've tried so many times to explain things to them, to all of them. But they never listen. They just think I'm delusional, that it's all a mistake. But it's not a mistake, I know it. It's true love. I love you so much, Clark."

Oh, how he had longed to hear her say that. But instead of feeling elated, all he could feel was a pain in his throat, making it difficult to swallow. An ache in his chest that battled with the voices in his head. Mercifully, his face remained composed. As he sat there, comforting her, he knew. He knew what a truly weak man he was. How miserable, how pathetic, how foolish. He knew.

He took a deep breath, and spoke, "Ruby." Her sobs seemed to quieten, as if to listen. "I think we should take a break."

Her head snapped up, her eyes wide. "You're breaking up with me?"

"No," he said quickly, perhaps too quickly. "Taking a break is different from breaking up. We'll just stop dating. Just for a little while. We'll take a breather, to spend more time with our friends and family."

She shook her head. "No, no, you can't do this to me."

He leaned down, and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm not breaking up with you. We'll just take a rest in our relationship. Just for a little while. Just until you're 18. Until then, I will always be loyal to you. I'll wait for you, as I always have, even when I didn't know it." He wiped away some of her tears with his thumbs, and gave her a kind smile. "It's only three years. They'll pass in the blink of an eye, you'll see. Just three years, and then we won't even have to keep all this a secret anymore. You could shout it from the tops of skyscrapers, if you like. Just three years, and no more secrets to keep. Won't that be nice?"

She closed her eyes, hiccuping and swallowing. He got down to the ground with her, and hugged her tight. "Just three years. Just a little break. We'll still even be friends. Can you be brave, and do that for me? Please?" he requested. His fingers traced circular patterns on her back, and he felt her breathing start to even out.

"...Just three years?" she asked.

"Just three years."

"And you'll wait for me."

"Of course."

She pulled back, wiping at her nose. "Okay. Since I know your job's on the line, I'll wait."

"This is about so much more than just me, Ruby."

She nodded, and looked back up. They were so close, their breaths ghosting against each other's lips. But it would've been too cruel. Instead he stood, and helped her to her own feet. "Goodbye, Miss Rose."

She adjusted the hood of her cloak. "See you later... Professor Ozpin." There shared one last firm handshake, and let go.

She turned from him, and walked away. A breeze tugged at her cape, biting through her winter clothes, stinging where the warmth of his embrace lingered. She tottered to the dormitories, taking the stairs one step at a time. Somehow, the hallway seemed darker than usual. She pushed the door to her own room open, it swinging slowly on its hinges. She stepped inside.

"Hello, Ruby," Weiss greeted, her smile uncertain and worry in her eyes.

She didn't respond, her feet dragging as she moved towards her bunkbed. Blake sat in her own bed, reading, or pretending to. She wriggled out of her boots, climbing up to her bed. Yang watched her, studying her. "So, did he break up with you?" Yang asked.

There was a split moment where Ruby could hear her sister's words, but not understand them. And then she felt a fire burn through her limbs. She leapt back down the ground and faced her. " _You ruined_ _everything!_ " she shouted, surprising them and making Blake jump. "You never listen to me or care about what I think or feel! You treat me like some stupid little kid, even though I'm the team leader! You never gave me support when I needed it, and you never trusted me!"

"Ruby-"

"No! Why should I have to listen to you when you never listen to me?! You're such an awful sister, you don't even act like my sister half the time! _Why can't you just leave me alone?!_ " Before she could respond, she leapt back into her bed and buried herself under the sheets. She wept anew into her pillows, her hairpin poking her.

In the evening, Clark lay on his bed in his apartment. On the pillow next to him, the little red music box sat. It was open, it's haunting little melody playing and filling the room as the little ballerinas spun with their reflections. He watched them without seeing. "Just three years," he murmured to himself. "They'll pass in the blink of an eye, you'll see. Just for three years, I'll wait." He reached over, and shut the lid of the music box.

* * *

 _In this world, there is a certain music box._

 _Unique and hand-crafted, like a rose._

 _It sits untouched. Unheard. Unseen._

 _Ghosts dwell within. Silenced. Bound. Forgotten._

 _For years, it has no purpose._

 _Until one day, someone reaches down, and twists its turnkey._

 _The lid is lifted,_

 _the ghosts spring back to their eternal dance,_

 _and music plays forth from the little box,_

 _Once again._


End file.
